JAAP Stam has dropped his biggest hint yet that he will still be in charge of Reading FC next season.

Stam was recently linked with a move to Premier League West Ham and is yet to open talks over extending his contract, which runs out in summer 2018.

But the 44-year-old Dutchman revealed he is already chasing a number of transfer targets in order to strengthen his Royals squad, though he insisted reports of interest in Ajax youngster Ezra Walian are completely false.

“We’re still looking at players and now we need to start thinking about players for next season,” revealed Stam.

“We want to build, expand and be competitive, so we still need to look at other players.

“As long as I’m here – and there is no reason for me to leave – then we will still work towards next season.”

The ex-Manchester United and Netherlands defender also stressed he is happy to put contract talks on hold until the end of the season, with Reading on course for a play-off finish.

“We haven’t spoken about it,” he said. “I’ve still got a season left after this.

“I’ve said to myself finish this one then at the end of the season we can talk about the situation, how the season went and what needs to improve.”

He also insisted: “I’m not the type of person to go straight away.

“I’m happy here. I have started a job to build something at Reading, do well and hopefully in a couple of seasons get to the Premier League.

“The possibility is still there so that’s why we need to talk at the end of the season about what is going to happen to the club, hear my thoughts and their thoughts and reach a conclusion.”

Fears over Stam’s future intensified recently following the growing uncertainty over the club’s ownership.

However, the English Football League granted ‘conditional approval’ last Friday for Chinese investors to go ahead with their takeover from the current Thai owners.

Reading Chronicle:

Lady Sasima Srivikorn and her fellow Thai owners plan to sell 75 per cent of their shares to Chinese investors.

Stam stated: “I met them (Chinese investors) once a while ago. We spoke about what they’re trying to do but I am not going to go into detail.

“They seem very interested in the club and very serious in what they want to achieve, and that’s very positive.

“For everyone’s interests it is very good to have structure and to know what’s going to happen next season.

“The sooner you know what’s happening and what the club can do makes it easier for everybody in terms of working towards the future.”

Reading FC will look to bounce back from last weekend's 7-1 humbling at Norwich City when they travel to Aston Villa tomorrow.

Stam will be boosted by the return to fitness of Tiago Ilori and Joey van den Berg, though Paul McShane remains sidelined with a calf strain.