Brian Tevreden: 'No contract talks with Jaap Stam until summer'

Reading's director of football Brian Tevreden has said that Jaap Stam is settled at the Madejski Stadium, despite no contract talks being expected until the summer.

In his first season at the club, Stam has guided the Royals to third place in the Championship table, but despite having just 18 months remaining on his existing deal, he will not hold talks with the board until the end of the season.

Tevreden is quoted by the Reading Chronicle as saying: "Jaap is a person who likes structure, and I am the same. If you go to another club you do not know if that structure is there. You could go somewhere, not perform, and you are out five minutes later.

"Jaap is not a person who would change clubs easily, nor am I. The communication here is perfect, we discuss a lot of things.

"I know Jaap very well and, like me, he focuses on football. His contract is something for later, we will talk about that at the end of the season."

Reading currently sit five points adrift of second-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, who have played one game fewer than the Royals.