Contracts

[Sutekh]

- None of the youngsters look like immediate options as out-and-out strikers

Looking back it would seem the one position the Academy struggles to fill with any quality is a striker. Since the days of Tommy Burns I can only recall Simon Cox and Darius Henderson (he's playing for Eastleigh and 35 now ) and Reading seemed shift them out as soon as they could. I'm expecting Samuel to go the same way and have similar success playing for other teams.

Don't think there's anyone of the older youngsters who is likely to seize an opportunity either.

[Kuhl_Runnings]

Don't rate Williams at all, the guy is just not a good footballer, slows down all our plays, gives us nothing in midfield whilst we have quality players like Evans stuck on the bench behind him every week. Praying he finally gets the move him and his agent have been asking for on Instagram

+1, glad someone else agrees. His day comes about twice every season. For me he just runs around like a headless chicken and goes for Hollywood passes and shots whereas Evans actually gives us some sort of stability in midfield.

[linkenholtroyal]

From what I can gather, those out of contract at the end of this season are (ages in brackets)...

Ali Al-Habsi (34)
Garath McCleary (29)
Danny Williams (27)
Yann Kermorgant (35)
Liam Kelly (20)
Tarique Fosu (21)
Craig Tanner (22)

With the following also maybe out of contract (no information on their contract length available)....
Stuart Moore (22)
George Legg (20)
Jake Sheppard (19)
Zak Jules (19)
Rob Dickie (20)
Dom Hyam (20)
Shane Griffin (22)
Sean Long (21)
Aaron Kuhl (20)
Andy Rinomhota (19)
Andrija Novakovich (20)
Harry Cardwell (20)

+ Possibly Numerous Other Academy Players (including Lewis Ward, Billy Collings, Joe Tupper, Luke Southwood, Omar Richards, Gabriel Osho, Sindri Scheving, Axel Andresson, Thomas McIntyre, Omar Richards, Harrison Bennett, Ryan East, Conor Davis, and Sam Smith)

So with that in mind, who would you like the club to offer new deals?

Al-Habsi and McCleary will presumably be top priorities, especially with them both in good form. We do have a huge number of goalkeepers behind Ali at the moment and he isn't getting any younger, but he's such a fan favourite I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign on for a couple more years.

McCleary and Williams aren't certainties probably due to their wages. Both were signed during the Zingarevich era, a period known for its ridiculous contracts, and the fact they still are yet to renew shows the club are a little hesitant with these two. I'd expect McCleary to follow Gunter and take a pay cut, but he might wait until the end of the season. Same with Danny, however I wouldn't be too surprised if he's keen to stay given the guarantee of first team football. I know he's desperate for a move to the Premier League but I doubt there would be many teams willing to take a punt on him

I think Kermorgant will get another year, which will split opinion. I rate him now, which I didn't when he joined, and I don't think he's particularly slow for someone of his age. Interestingly he was a latecomer to the demands of professional football, having battled leukemia as a teenager and only joining Châtellerault in French non-league when he was 23. This means he'll probably have a few more years in him than most players who have been playing non-stop since 17/18

getReading were reporting on Liam Kelly being offered a new deal, which I think is essential, but I think time may be running out for Craig Tanner and Tarique Fosu. Tanner is surely heading for a permanent switch to Plymouth if they're promoted to League One, having now played over 60 games for them. A lot of fans will riot if Fosu gets released, but if managers keep ignoring him then there's obviously something not right, and his loan spell at Colchester has been poor so far. I'd give him another year, but wouldn't be surprised if he leaves

As for the other youngsters, it's a bit tricky when the club don't bother telling you how long they've signed on for. Griffin and Long have now surely reached the age in which the club can't keep them on any longer, and I was pretty surprised we offered them new deals last summer. I'd probably let them go along with Cardwell, who hasn't really lived up to his potential and barely got a look in on loan at Braintree this year. I haven't really seen enough of the others to make a good judgement so I'll trust the coaching staff, but hopefully they're all deemed to be progressing well enough to earn another chance. As for Aaron Kuhl, he needs to start playing games for Boreham Wood otherwise he'll be gone

Has anyone got an updated list now because a fair few of these have signed contracts now haven't they?

I always refer to
http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2014/5/19/5720206/readingfc-contract-dates

Thanks very helpful

[SCIAG]

- None of the youngsters look like immediate options as out-and-out strikers

Looking back it would seem the one position the Academy struggles to fill with any quality is a striker. Since the days of Tommy Burns I can only recall Simon Cox and Darius Henderson (he's playing for Eastleigh and 35 now ) and Reading seemed shift them out as soon as they could. I'm expecting Samuel to go the same way and have similar success playing for other teams.

Don't think there's anyone of the older youngsters who is likely to seize an opportunity either.

Erm are you forgetting the mighty Simon Church? Nathan Tyson also has nearly 200 appearances at this level (and is still playing for Kilmarnock at 34 ).

I was mostly talking about the Novakovich/Cardwell/Smith group rather than Loader/House/Green/Nolan. The first group just don't have the quality imo (although might be OK in a front two) while the second group might be good enough in a few years but aren't banging the door down yet.

We've got a lot of floaty forwards like Tanner, Barrett, Frost, and Holsgrove who look pretty useful but aren't competing with Kermie.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Yann's signed a year extension.

[Royal Ginger]

Fair enough, no complains from me.

[Hound]

fine, just reward IMO

Rather him be back up than first choice next season though

[Ian Royal]

He's upset because Samuel didn't take his chance.

quoted for emphasis

[RG7Fan]

Yann's signed a year extension.

Presumably only a year given his age? I think he's playing better this year than last - maybe its him, maybe its the system / formation, who knows. Given we only paid 500k (from memory - or did he come on a free?) I think he's worked out well.

[Top Flight]

Congratulations to Yann Kermorgant. I'm really pleased he is staying on. He has been in good form for a while now. He gives us a good dimension up front. He just needs more service. If he had the type of service that Kitson enjoyed playing up front for us then I'm sure Yann would have scored 20 goals by now this season.

[Sutekh]

From GetReading so please excuse grammar, spellings and facts... probably

Royals striker Yann Kermorgant has signed a new Reading FC contract which will see him stay at the club until 2018.

The frontman has been in fine form this season and has played a key role in Royals' surprise push for promotion.

Boss Jaap Stam said: "Yann has been very important for us throughout the season, with his experience and the quality that he has.

"He has made a big impact for us in the first half of the season and it is important for us as a team and a club to keep players with those qualities within the group."

Kermorgant has scored eight goals in 29 games this season, including three last month.

The 35-year-old was one of five nominees for the Championship PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for January but missed out to Leeds' Chris Wood.

Kermorgant arrived at Reading in January, 2016, joining from Bournemouth. He has also played Leicester and Charlton during his time in England.

[Hound]

To be fair to Brian, all the signings made when he was there (bar Gravenberch but he was basically out the door by then) have turned out well

Evans on a free was cracking business and Yann was well worth the 500k. Rakels potentially handy as well if he has fully recovered

[Sutekh]

Rakels would have arrived whoever was manager. Could argue the same for Gravenberch as that deal was done literally the day before Brian left so behind the scenes they would have known that yet they still completed it

Unless, of course, there is more to Brian's departure than we know......

[Ian Royal]

Congratulations to Yann Kermorgant. I'm really pleased he is staying on. He has been in good form for a while now. He gives us a good dimension up front. He just needs more service. If he had the type of service that Kitson enjoyed playing up front for us then I'm sure Yann would have scored 20 goals by now this season.