Squad for 2025-2026

[Sutekh]

Hope Pereira gets something acceptable for him.

[Stranded]

So the list is out:

Options taken

First Team

Mamadi Camara
Under 21's

Joseph Barough
Boyd Beacroft
Tom Norcott
Mathew Rowley

Deals offered

First Team

Michael Craig
Jeriel Dorsett
Kelvin Ehibatiomhan
Abraham Kanu
Amadou Mbengue
Joel Pereira
Tivonge Rushesha
Michael Stickland
Basil Tuma
Jayden Wareham
Andy Yiadom

Under 21's

Jacob Borgnis
John Clarke
Jeremiah Okine-Peters
John Ryan
Shay Spencer

Under 18's

Ashqar Ahmed
Carter Bowdery
Philip Duah
Sam Harrison
Luke Howard
Josh Welland

Released

First Team

Adrian Akande
Coniah Boyce-Clarke
David Button
Tom Carroll
Harlee Dean
Louie Holzman

Under 21's

Jack Senga-Ngoyi
Charlie Wellens

Under 18's

Verrell George
James Sharlott
Kai Source

[katweslowski]

Retained and released list - with some good first teamers being offered contracts

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2025/m ... st-may-25/

[mikey_1871]

Only real surprise there is Akande being released. But then again, played less and less as the season went on, maybe Hunt wasn't keen on him.

Holzman just didn't seem good enough, sadly.

Fingers crossed those offered contracts sign. See Yids has been offered one!

[dontbedaft]

I wonder how long that they have to accept/decline the offers. I am sure that some of those given offers will be weighing up alternative offers, so it would be good to know who we can count on for next season.

[tidus_mi2]

Akande was the only surprise for me, didn't think Rushesha might get offered but can see him being valued for his versatility and him dropping back and being a backup option is good enough for me, felt he got really exposed as a regular starter.

Not surprised but very disappointed with how CBC's career has panned out, from being so highly rated to being released at 22 having only made a handful of first team starts was probably not how many saw his time here ending.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Like everyone else, supposed about Akande. I thought he would have made the grade.

Senga looked pretty good to me the few times I saw him.

Surprised (and pleased ) Yiadom has been offered an extension.

Should Pereira choose to pursue his career elsewhere we're going to have quite a goalkeeping problem. I'll get me gloves.

[RG30]

I had heard a while back there were concerns with Akande's conditioning. End of the day can't afford to carry passengers so a decision had to be made,

[morganb]

From the "Deals Offered - First Team" section who do we expect to stay and who do we think are being pursued by other clubs?

Michael Craig
Jeriel Dorsett
Kelvin Ehibatiomhan
Abraham Kanu
Amadou Mbengue
Joel Pereira
Tivonge Rushesha
Michael Stickland
Basil Tuma
Jayden Wareham
Andy Yiadom

I'd guess only Amadou Mbengue and Joel Pereira would be in demand elsewhere

[Hendo]

From the "Deals Offered - First Team" section who do we expect to stay and who do we think are being pursued by other clubs?

Michael Craig
Jeriel Dorsett
Kelvin Ehibatiomhan
Abraham Kanu
Amadou Mbengue
Joel Pereira
Tivonge Rushesha
Michael Stickland
Basil Tuma
Jayden Wareham
Andy Yiadom

I'd guess only Amadou Mbengue and Joel Pereira would be in demand elsewhere

I'd probably agree with that - those two would potentially be the ones to be offered elsewhere.

[Snowflake Royal]

I had heard a while back there were concerns with Akande's conditioning. End of the day can't afford to carry passengers so a decision had to be made,

Not that surprised, especially if there were conditioning issues. He was a bit raw pace only.

My biggest surprise is Camara got extended. I don’t see what he offers, he's small, not very strong, not especially quick, not especially technical, rarely beats anyone, doesn’t seem to have a knack for goals or assists. He certainly puts the work in, but seems like he needs to step down a level.

Disappointed with Senga as he's looked handy, but unsurprised as he was clearly not favoured.

Think we might have made a couple too many offers/extensions, but clearly trust Noel time.

[andrew1957]

As others have said there are no huge surprises. I would have expected Akande to get another year and perhaps Holzman too. Not sure what happened with Holzman. He seemed to be ahead of Stickland and then suddenly disappeared from the squad - I think they said injured? But who knows if there was something else. As for Boyce-Clarke, I saw him play a number of times and he never once impressed me in any of those games (don't know what others saw that I didn't) and so no surprise to me. Hopefully he will find some form lower down the pyramid. Norcott looks a much better prospect so far. Wellens also 21 and so needs to move on.

Senga never got much of a chance, but at age 21 he needs to be playing somewhere regularly, which won't happen at RFC.

As for the older players Dean, Carroll and Button never let us down on the pitch, but none played a huge part in the last season and so time for them to move on.

I just hope all those offered contracts re-sign but think we could lose one or two.

[andrew1957]

As others have said there are no huge surprises. I would have expected Akande to get another year and perhaps Holzman too. Not sure what happened with Holzman. He seemed to be ahead of Stickland and then suddenly disappeared from the squad - I think they said injured? But who knows if there was something else. As for Boyce-Clarke, I saw him play a number of times and he never once impressed me in any of those games (don't know what others saw that I didn't) and so no surprise to me. Hopefully he will find some form lower down the pyramid. Norcott looks a much better prospect so far. Wellens also 21 and so needs to move on.

Senga never got much of a chance, but at age 21 he needs to be playing somewhere regularly, which won't happen at RFC.

As for the older players Dean, Carroll and Button never let us down on the pitch, but none played a huge part in the last season and so time for them to move on.

I just hope all those offered contracts re-sign but think we could lose one or two.

[Meatwad]

Just essentially reiterating what everyone else has already said, no huge OMG moves if you will. Would love for all of those who were offered a contract to sign it, but I think we have to prepare ourselves and be realistic that we may lose a couple. Just the nature of the beast. One I hope we do not lose the most is Mbengue but for some reason I just think we will. Hope I am wrong!

Love that we took up Camara's option also. I think the kid has of talent and will only get better.

Could be in the minority on that mind haha.

[Meatwad]

From the "Deals Offered - First Team" section who do we expect to stay and who do we think are being pursued by other clubs?

Michael Craig
Jeriel Dorsett
Kelvin Ehibatiomhan
Abraham Kanu
Amadou Mbengue
Joel Pereira
Tivonge Rushesha
Michael Stickland
Basil Tuma
Jayden Wareham
Andy Yiadom

I'd guess only Amadou Mbengue and Joel Pereira would be in demand elsewhere

Mbengue needs to be our highest earner in my opinion. I just think he is our most talented player and important to how we do things. As you said and I put myself though, could see some clubs offering him a contract. Personally think he is more than good enough for the Championship also.

[PieEater]

I couldn't see any mention of Garcia, what's happened to him?

[Hendo]

I couldn't see any mention of Garcia, what's happened to him?

The club can also confirm that Andre Garcia, who is a year 1 scholar, remains under contract for the 2025/26 season.

[morganb]

Any idea if Harlee Dean will stay on as a coach?

[katweslowski]

Any idea if Harlee Dean will stay on as a coach?

I came here to ask this. Am I right in saying he was technically doing some coaching work? I am sure I saw highlights once where he was on the sidelines talking to Noel Hunt during a game. Others also have said he'd be good in that capacity.

I watched a podcast of him talking all about his career. From an hour of content, about 2-3 minutes at the end were for Reading, where he described the facilities as "unbelievable, and the best he'd ever seen throughout his career". He'd previously played at Southampton, Brentford, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday.

Hopefully that encourages him to stay on, plus he seemed to have a good bond with some of the team.

[morganb]

Any idea if Harlee Dean will stay on as a coach?

I came here to ask this. Am I right in saying he was technically doing some coaching work? I am sure I saw highlights once where he was on the sidelines talking to Noel Hunt during a game. Others also have said he'd be good in that capacity.

I watched a podcast of him talking all about his career. From an hour of content, about 2-3 minutes at the end were for Reading, where he described the facilities as "unbelievable, and the best he'd ever seen throughout his career". He'd previously played at Southampton, Brentford, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday.

Hopefully that encourages him to stay on, plus he seemed to have a good bond with some of the team.

I think the story was that when Dean got injured, Noel knew he wanted to go into coaching so presented him with a coach's tracksuit etc. as this is what Brian McDermott had done for Noel when he was in a similar position while playing.