ON-LOAN midfielder Scott Davies will return to Reading after tomorrow’s match at home to Charlton Athletic – and boss Gary Waddock is now scouring the market for replacements.

He enquired about buying Davies out-right after the Royals ruled out letting him stay on loan at Adams Park until the end of the season, but he cannot afford Reading’s price tag.

Waddock said: “He is too much money to buy. We have asked them and it’s way over our budget what they are asking so we are now looking elsewhere.”

He added: “It is a blow because Scott has been an excellent loan signing for us and there is no getting away from the fact that we will miss him.

“We can all see what a good footballer he is and that’s why Reading want him back.

“It’s disappointing but we will have to move on and cope with it.”

The Free Press revealed last week that there has already been a stack of interest in Davies from other clubs and Reading will use the remaining two weeks before the transfer window closes again to see what manifests before deciding whether to cash in on their assett or keep him and see how he develops until his contract expires in 2011.

Waddock is already on the case of trying to hook a replacement for the former Republic of Ireland U21 international.

He said: “I’m waiting on one or two things.”

But it will be a tough job replacing Davies.

The 21-year-old Aylesbury-born midfielder has averaged a goal every four games for the Blues during his 16-match sequence and his performances have lifted his team-mates.

Davies will now be hoping to sign off his Blues career with a bang against the third-placed Addicks, whose promotion charge has been slowed down by three successive draws including 2-2 against Brentford and 4-4 at home to Millwall.