Squad for 2025-2026

[Sutekh]

Looking at that squad list I actually think we are more in danger of relegation next season than the last 2.

Building a squad and having Gel is going to be a hell of a job regardless of a takeover or not.

[Sutekh]

Given that Reading will more than likely fail to reach the POs as Orient cruise past a totally dispirited and largely disinterested Huddersfield. Then I presume that next week we will start seeing the club negotiating contracts for the few players ooc this summer. Pereira has to be the top priority. Looking forward to the retained list.

Also need to move quick on new players and beat the 30 June deadline in case accounts are delayed again.

[Orion1871]

Pereira and Mbengue have to be priority. As others have said I can only see Pereira being possible out of the two though.

As for the others, I'd like to keep the majority of them. Obviously the Bodin's and Carroll's of the world will be gone and I hope I never have to see Mamadi Camara's slow zero ability to beat a man arse ever again.

[Sutekh]

Best thing for the club to miss the POs and not have what would have been the usual misery on top of another month of uncertainty about where the club would be playing.

Next season should already be underway and the first couple of months will be down to Noel and Brian Carey and his team to start working the plan on who to keep, lose and bring in.

Pereira and Mbengue are top priorities to re-sign, then Garcia if only to ensure a shed load of cash when selling him later in the year.

Looking forward to August already and so many local derbies too; Barnsley, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Wigan, Blackpool, Bolton, Plymouth etc.

[Snowflake Royal]

Craig has to be a priority too.

Defence needs a hell of a lot of work.

[Ascotexgunner]

Judging by the BBCRB interviews Garcia is definitely not here stating there's lots of interest and didn't sound convincing he was here for next season. Personally, and no doubt an unpopular opinion, I'm seeing no improvement and we should get what we can for him.
Mbengue as well made all the right noises about loving Reading but he is championship defender and never convinced me in his comments he will be here next season either.
Would love 2 full backs, a couple of quick wide men, a centre back and if we have any change a striker. Can only dream, I spose.

[Snowflake Royal]

Garcia's certainly not ready to start regularly in L1. At his age he could develop a lot by August, but like in January, if you have to lose anyone, he's probably one of the most replaceable ones in the first team squad likely to be in demand. We should 100% try to keep him... I was thinking he might benefit from a loan.

[Crowbar6753]

The good news is we are not broken and hopefully can keep the core of what is a good young squad!! With Elliot and hopefully Craig back we have a great midfield. The defense will need plenty of work especially with Bindon gone and maybe Mbengue also, however i really like the look of Stickland so a decent player by his side would be needed.
Personally, i think the area we have lacked the most is out wide! Especially if you include FBs as wide players. Camara, Bodin and Campbell are average at best and big Kelvin still hasn't really found his best position as of yet. So two wide men please who have the ability to be brave and run at and beat a defender.
Finally we need to find a 15 goal striker from somewhere? I love Warehams work ethic and goalscoring but he's still learning his trade and probably not up to that 15 goal mark yet.
We still have some good youngsters in the U21s so really 6 new faces unless we lose more than expected.....finally looking forward to an active close and preseason with the hope of further promise and improvement next season.

[genome]

Bindon won't be here

One might say Bindon has been binned off.

[JR]

Yiadom showed today as a sub why we should offer him a contract.

Changed the game and lifted us for a period through his attacking threat and commitment.

We lack players to get the fans excited through passion or mercurial brilliance and he is one that does (through the former of course).

[Sutekh]

Yiadom showed today as a sub why we should offer him a contract.

Changed the game and lifted us for a period through his attacking threat and commitment.

We lack players to get the fans excited through passion or mercurial brilliance and he is one that does (through the former of course).

Agree, actual proper full back of the type the club needs. Looked to go forward and push the game on, could actually manage a forward pass accurately occasionally too, so much a step up on Rushesha and Abrefa. The club really needs to find decent full backs in the summer especially at left back. After Andy, think Craig is actually the next best right back at the club and could make something of the position if other midfield options are ahead of him there.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yiadom showed today as a sub why we should offer him a contract.

Changed the game and lifted us for a period through his attacking threat and commitment.

We lack players to get the fans excited through passion or mercurial brilliance and he is one that does (through the former of course).

Agree, actual proper full back of the type the club needs. Looked to go forward and push the game on, could actually manage a forward pass accurately occasionally too, so much a step up on Rushesha and Abrefa. The club really needs to find decent full backs in the summer especially at left back. After Andy, think Craig is actually the next best right back at the club and could make something of the position if other midfield options are ahead of him there.

He's looked half the player he used to be recently. Did well when he came on yesterday, admittedly, and might just be a slow return. But with his age, increasing fitness problems, and tendency to do something rash, I think the only reason we'd talk about extending him is because we basically have no actual senior fullbacks other than him.

It's a real problem.
Abrefa looks ready to fight for first choice RB, but he can't stay fit for more than 5 games. You don’t want him and Yids as your options because they'll be out half the season.

Garcia has huge potential, but he's not a very good defender and makes multiple unforced errors a game, he's just not up to starting right now.

Craig should be in midfield. Dorsett is a CB. Maybe Ryan will be fit and recover. Maybe Osho or Kanu will step up, but Kanu isa CB.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I would expect us to bring in one specialist FB on each side and use Abrefa as our main cover but with Craig, Dorsett and Garcia in the mix (noting those 3 have never been specialist FBs). Abrefa is good enough to be first choice when he plays but hasn't proven his ability to play 40 games in a season.

Other priorities will be wingers, striker and replacing Bindon. It'll be a busy window, but we don't need to spend big fees.

I think the takeover will be bad news for Rushesha and Camara who have had plenty of chances and don't look good enough. Why would we keep them now we have other options? Wareham and Ehibhatiomhan have proven themselves enough but will have to deal with stronger competitors.

Assuming we don't lose anyone, we need:
Backup GK
2 FBs
1st choice CB (I think Dean, Dorsett and Stickland can be cover)
2 wingers
1 striker

Obviously anyway who leaves also needs replacing.

If we're looking for transfer revenue, I expect one of Savage/Elliott/Craig is most sensible as we're well stocked in midfield and we have academy kids to step up as 5th choice.

[Fox Talbot]

My first XI

Pereira

Abfrega
Mbengue
New bloke (or Dorset if we can’t afford one)
Ryan (assuming he’s recovered. He’s first team ready, would have been in this season but for injury)

Wing
Savage
Elliott (assuming fit. If not move Knibbs back)

Knibbs (assuming we can’t afford three new forwards) Or Meite.
Expensive New Bloke
Young New Bloke

Squad players

Norcott Yiadom Dean Strickland Kanu Craig Wareham Akande Dorsett

Thanks but goodbye

Garcia, whatever he will turn out to be it’s not a L1 left back. Cash in.
Ehib, very occasional brilliance not enough to justify keeping him
Boudin Carroll Camara Holzman Button Rushesha Tuma CBC Campbell

[LUX]

What do we think Forest will do with Bindon?

If I were in charge, there’d be two options. Either have him on the bench and give him gradual Premiership game time. Or lend him out, but to a Championship level club.

Thinking about it, if I were in charge at Forest, I’d lend him back to Reading

[Snowflake Royal]

What do we think Forest will do with Bindon?

If I were in charge, there’d be two options. Either have him on the bench and give him gradual Premiership game time. Or lend him out, but to a Championship level club.

Thinking about it, if I were in charge at Forest, I’d lend him back to Reading

I think it depends how he integrates with them in pre-season. Maybe squad player for them... they'll have European games right? So will need more rotation and a bigger squad. But Championship loan is probably the best move for him as it should mean more games.

[Snowflake Royal]

Goalkeepers
Pereira, New Signing, Norcott / Rowley - other on loan

Fullbacks
New Signing, Abrefa
New Signing, Garcia, Ryan

Centrebacks
Mbengue, Stickland
New Signing, Dorsett, Kanu

Midfielders
Wing, Craig
Savage, Senga/Sackey/Wellens/etc
Knibbs, Elliott

Wingers
New Signing, Akande
Ehibhatiomhan, New Signing

Strikers
New Signing, Wareham

[LUX]

If Wrexham strengthen massively, which their Hollywood owners promise to do, could we get Smith back?

[WestYorksRoyal]

Garcia has potential but has really been pushed beyond what he was ready for this season and could be easily replaced in the here and now.

Now hopefully we're a normal club, it'll be how it should be. If we get a good offer, sell. Get bad offers, keep.

[ILoveMoonPig]

At the current moment in time, its hard to see us being much more than a stepping stone for a lot of our players. And to their credit, most (if not all) of the current squad have paid us back in effort and performance, more than we have invested in them. And if they can get a move to a championship club, i wouldn't really begrudge them the move, even if it would weaken us.

We know that we're going to lose Bindon and Campbell. It seems likely to me that we will also probably lose Knibbs, Periera and Mbengue over the summer to championship clubs. So i guess being hopefully realistic with some optimism, we could certainly do a decent job next year with a starting lineup of:

Boyce-Clarke

Dorset
Holzman
Stickland
Abrefa

Garcia (allow him to play LW/RW)
Wing
Savage
Elliot
Kelvin E

Wareham