A Royal Arrival For U's

Following the news of Dan Potts' return to parent club West Ham, it's been one out and one in for the U's this afternoon as Reading's England U19s international striker, Dominic Samuel, joins up with Joe Dunne's men.

The move sees the 18-year-old sign a one-month loan deal at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, and with Dunne commenting that the U's need to finish off the balls being played into the box after the New Year's Day defeat at Crawley, he will be hoping that Samuel can be the man to do so.

Speaking to the Daily Gazette, Dunne said: 'Dominic will give us a different dimension at the top.

'He's got energy and speed and he's very highly thought of at Reading, who have a great record in producing good young players.'

Samuel made his Premier League bow a month ago as he played the last twenty minutes in the Royals' 3-0 defeat at Sunderland, and he told BBC Essex that the move is one that excites him.

'I'm excited because I want to play first-team football and see what it's like in a different team out of my comfort zone, so hopefully I can get as many games in as I can.'

Whether Samuel will provide the ammunition needed to help claw the U's away from the bottom four remains to be seen though, with many hoping Dunne can still draft in much-needed experience to aid the relegation battle.

However, Samuel will be available for the U's crunch games coming up against Scunthorpe, Hartlepool, Walsall and Portsmouth that could go some way to making or breaking the season.


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