ROVERS target Dominic Samuel has been left out of the Reading squad which headed for Holland yesterday as Ewood boss Tony Mowbray tries to win the race for his signature.

The 23-year-old wasn’t included in Jaap Stam’s travelling party, with the Royals revealing they have granted him permission to hold talks with another club with a view to a potential move away from Madejski Stadium.

Rovers are keen on a move for the striker but are remaining patient as they wait to make their fifth signing of the summer.

They face competition for Samuel, with Ipswich monitoring the situation of a player who finished the season on loan at Portman Road, and Barnsley also having shown interest.

However, speaking about the likelihood of a deal, boss Mick McCarthy said last weekend: “At this moment in time, nothing’s happening with that.”

Rovers’ case could also be helped by the Tractors Boys’ links with a move for Wolves frontman Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

Ewood chief Mowbray has been keen to add another striker to his ranks to provide competition to last season’s top scorer Danny Graham, with his forward line hit by the departures of last season’s loan trio Sam Gallagher, Marvin Emnes and Lucas Joao.

Mowbray was hopeful of landing at least one target while the club are away on their pre-season training camp in Austria, but as yet has been unable to strengthen his squad.

Samuel is well known to Mowbray with the pair having worked together at Coventry City in 2014/15, and he fits the profile of the type of player that the head coach is looking to bring to Ewood Park.

He scored twice for Reading last season including in a 3-2 win for Reading at Ewood in December but failed to score in six appearances on loan at Ipswich.

Mowbray will be looking for Samuel to rediscover the form which saw him score seven times in 21 outings for Gillingham in League One in 2015/16 where he developed a good understanding with Rovers new-boy Bradley Dack.

Samuel still has 12 months left to run on his current deal at the Madejski, and despite appearing surplus to requirements, Reading would still command a six-figure fee for his services.