Reading FC boss has lost all 'hope and belief' in takeover

The 75-year-old American spent months with Selles and club staff at both Bearwood training ground and the SCL Stadium, meeting with supporters and preparing for the deal to be confirmed.

However, on Tuesday the club confirmed that the deal was off and Couhig had been paid back in full.

A downbeat Selles met with the press ahead of Saturday's trip to Bolton Wanderers to discuss the mood in the camp.

"I don't have hope or belief anymore. I will believe it when it's done. If they say these three parties are interested, good for them. If they can show that in six weeks they can do the takeover.

"We have been five months there and nothing happened, so maybe they can make action a little bit faster this time. I don't expect anything from anybody in that."

The Trotters sit in the bottom six of League One and have failed to bounce back from May's play-off final defeat.

However, Selles admits that it may be difficult for his squad to focus fully on the pitch after a latest setback.

"There is going to be a point where we cannot take situations anymore. I already said five months ago that that situation was close in April. Today, the feeling is like the feeling when we got a points deduction, when we got no food at the training ground, or we almost sold the training ground- I think today is exactly the same feeling. We never get the the support that we need.

"I think people now are taking everything for granted that this group of players and the technical staff can cope with absolutely everything but there is going to be a moment, and we don't know if it's this moment, that we are not going to be able to cope with things anymore."

The club have confirmed that money is available for the next few months, putting any immediate fears for salaries and tax at bay.

Last season, staff and players were paid late on multiple occasions as Dai Yongge did not financially support the club.