Out of Contract 2022

[Snowflake Royal]

I’d completely forgotten about Gibson, Semedo & Esteves…and they were here only last season! Shows how many forgettable players we’ve churned through in the past few years

Very good points made above. Essentially there is no strategy. I’d prefer there to be a sense of realisation from the club at to our current position in the footballing pyramid & a strategy of how to improve over time. As already pointed out, Drinkwater & Rahman are examples of signings that look impressive on paper but the reality is they are completely the wrong fit for a club like us, or for a relegation battle

Interesting point about the "fit" of the club, I've always had that down as a big factor to recruitment within a club.

We've never really had a great deal of success with high-profile players or players that cost large sums of money, it's always been players who can grow organically with the club and usually on decent, but not spectacular, money as well as reasonably, yet not excessively, priced. Even in recent times, players like Gunter, McCleary, Le Fondre, Gorkss, Norwood etc were all successful signings that fit the profile of the club for example.

However, the likes of Carrico and Puscas, high-profile and high value signings, have been less than successful because they just didn't seem to fit the profile of the club.

Agree with the sentiment, but Carrico is a hell of a weird choice.

Don't recall him being a big fee or big wages and his biggest problem was injury / fitness.

There are hordes of better options to illustrate the point.

Pogrebnyak, Vydra, Lita (to an extent), Ferdinand (either), Drenthe, Grabban, Martin, Aluko...

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I’d completely forgotten about Gibson, Semedo & Esteves…and they were here only last season! Shows how many forgettable players we’ve churned through in the past few years

Very good points made above. Essentially there is no strategy. I’d prefer there to be a sense of realisation from the club at to our current position in the footballing pyramid & a strategy of how to improve over time. As already pointed out, Drinkwater & Rahman are examples of signings that look impressive on paper but the reality is they are completely the wrong fit for a club like us, or for a relegation battle

Interesting point about the "fit" of the club, I've always had that down as a big factor to recruitment within a club.

We've never really had a great deal of success with high-profile players or players that cost large sums of money, it's always been players who can grow organically with the club and usually on decent, but not spectacular, money as well as reasonably, yet not excessively, priced. Even in recent times, players like Gunter, McCleary, Le Fondre, Gorkss, Norwood etc were all successful signings that fit the profile of the club for example.

However, the likes of Carrico and Puscas, high-profile and high value signings, have been less than successful because they just didn't seem to fit the profile of the club.

Agree with the sentiment, but Carrico is a hell of a weird choice.

Don't recall him being a big fee or big wages and his biggest problem was injury / fitness.

There are hordes of better options to illustrate the point.

Pogrebnyak, Vydra, Lita (to an extent), Ferdinand (either), Drenthe, Grabban, Martin, Aluko...

I went with Carrico based on being high-profile as opposed to high value, obviously winning the EL with Sevilla. Agreed though, there were others I could list, he was just the first one I could think of, probably because he's done more in the game in recent times than most of the aforementioned there. But they are all true as well. Lita, as said, to a lesser extent.

[Notts Royal]

I’d completely forgotten about Gibson, Semedo & Esteves…and they were here only last season! Shows how many forgettable players we’ve churned through in the past few years

Very good points made above. Essentially there is no strategy. I’d prefer there to be a sense of realisation from the club at to our current position in the footballing pyramid & a strategy of how to improve over time. As already pointed out, Drinkwater & Rahman are examples of signings that look impressive on paper but the reality is they are completely the wrong fit for a club like us, or for a relegation battle

Interesting point about the "fit" of the club, I've always had that down as a big factor to recruitment within a club.

We've never really had a great deal of success with high-profile players or players that cost large sums of money, it's always been players who can grow organically with the club and usually on decent, but not spectacular, money as well as reasonably, yet not excessively, priced. Even in recent times, players like Gunter, McCleary, Le Fondre, Gorkss, Norwood etc were all successful signings that fit the profile of the club for example.

However, the likes of Carrico and Puscas, high-profile and high value signings, have been less than successful because they just didn't seem to fit the profile of the club.

Agree with the sentiment, but Carrico is a hell of a weird choice.

Don't recall him being a big fee or big wages and his biggest problem was injury / fitness.

There are hordes of better options to illustrate the point.

Pogrebnyak, Vydra, Lita (to an extent), Ferdinand (either), Drenthe, Grabban, Martin, Aluko...

Personally, I thought Lita was a success on the whole. Just wasn’t as good as Doyle & Kits. Anton Ferdinand also did well alongside McShane at the start of 15/16, but believe he picked up an injury.

Vydra it just didn’t work out which is a real shame as I remember us being genuinely excited about that signing

[Hound]

Grabban was difficult to judge due to Stam’s somewhat bizarre use of him

I think all signings are a bit of a gamble to be honest - no doubts we’ve made plenty of signings who seem to fit the bill of the right profile that have also turned out to be useless

Obviously ideally when splashing out the sort of money that could lead to the club being embargoed etc you’d do your absolute best to make sure they were the right fit; which certainly didn’t seem to the case with a few of those mentioned

[URZZZZ]

Grabban was difficult to judge due to Stam’s somewhat bizarre use of him

I think all signings are a bit of a gamble to be honest - no doubts we’ve made plenty of signings who seem to fit the bill of the right profile that have also turned out to be useless

Obviously ideally when splashing out the sort of money that could lead to the club being embargoed etc you’d do your absolute best to make sure they were the right fit; which certainly didn’t seem to the case with a few of those mentioned

It was bizarre but he simply wasn’t on the same level as Kermorgant in the context of which we played, which meant we had to shoehorn him in different positions unless we went with two up top

Does seem most of our more poor transfers have been in the attacking area and the recurring theme is that we simply don’t create enough chances for our striker. Murray, Sharp, Vydra, Baldock, Puscas (to a lesser extent) and the aforementioned Grabban can all score goals yet with the exception of Murray struggled here. Joao has been a success but he is able to engineer chances of his own accord. As mentioned, Kermorgant had one very good season here (with two poor seasons as well) but that coincided with a good supply line - something sorely missing in other years

The problems are there to see, I.e we don’t create enough chances but we never seem to fix it, instead just buying the same sort of players year on year. Strategy (if there is one) needs a rethink

[YorkshireRoyal99]

We have been very reliant on Swift to create our chances for a few years now. Players like Barrow and Meite would always have an impact, Meite because he was a winger who could run in off the channel whilst getting over the top of full backs and Barrow was always a threat because of his pace, but they were not wide players that would create chances for others so much. They are more direct players.

Swift and Norwood were our two more creative midfielders in recent years. Players like Rino, Laurent and D Williams are/were good players, but are not "creators" as such, but more industry and excel on the physical side of the game.

That's why I wasn't too disappointed with the signings of Ince and Hoilett, because they are more creative wide players, rather than the more traditionally direct Meite and Barrow (or Barker now if you like). Ejaria is a strange case where he deviates from the norm and is very much his own player. For his technical ability, he "should" be more creative than he is, but I don't think that's his best role. He is best retaining the ball and opening up space for more creative players. It's just a shame we only really have Swift these days, possibly Drinkwater when on his game.

[Sutekh]

It’s finally all over and Reading know it’ll be another round of division 2 level football next season so the rebuild can officially start….

Out of contract in 2023

Largely associated with the current first team squad

Currently contracted to be at club in 2022-2023

10 players

1. Jahmari Clarke - FW > look to loan out next season
2. Scott Dann - DF
3. Ovie Ejaria -MF
4. Lucas João - FW
5. Tom McIntyre - DF
6. Yakou Méïté - FW
7. Liam Moore - DF > look to sell or loan for next season, anything to get his wage shifted
8. George Pușcaș - FW > hopefully Pisa get promoted and Reading can claim 5m Euro
9. Luke Southwood - GK > should Luke be the no. 1?
10. Dejan Tetek - MF

Out of contract as of 1 July 2022

16 players

1. Felipe Araruna - DF
2. Femi Azeez - FW > offer new deal
3. Brandon Barker - FW
4. Ethan Bristow - DF
5. Mamadi Camará - MF > offer new deal
6. Alen Halilović - MF > offer new deal
7. Junior Hoilett - MF > offer new deal
8. Tom Holmes - DF > offer new deal
9. Josh Laurent - MF > offer new deal
10. Marc McNulty - FW
11. Michael Morrison - DF > offer new deal, perhaps with coaching option
12. Orjan Nyland - GK > worth a deal? Is he an improvement on Southwood?
13. Andy Rinomhota - MF > offer new deal
14. John Swift - MF > offer a deal but really can’t see him signing
15. Terell Thomas - DF
16. Andy Yiadom - DF > offer 2 year deal

On loan until end of season

1. Tom Dele-Bashiru - MF
2. Danny Drinkwater - MF
3. Tom Ince - FW > offer a deal
4. Baba Rahman - DF

Reading need cover and strengthening in every position. Even the management position isn’t certain though I’m fairly sure it’ll be offered to Paul Ince for a season - so all those dreaming of Sean Dyche or Michael Duff are likely to be disappointed.

[Lower West]

Grabban was difficult to judge due to Stam’s somewhat bizarre use of him

Puscas has scored 7 goals in 15 starts with Pisa.

Says it all really...............

[Hound]

No doubts this will be one of the more interesting threads for the next few months

Fwiw, wouldn’t take any of the loans except Ince back. TDB has been average to poor and don’t think the others quite fit the bill

Ince may prove us out with wage demands

Would ask Yiadom, Laurent, Holmes, Hoilett, Swift, Rino, Azeez, Camara and Clarke to sign back on. Others can do one

[Zip]

I really don’t want Halilovic back. Happy to see Hoilett and Ince return.
Time to release Morrison or move him across to the coaching side. We must have more pace amongst our centre backs.

[Snowflake Royal]

Currently contracted to be at club in 2022-2023

10 players

1. Jahmari Clarke - FW > look for loan
2. Scott Dann - DF (shouldn’t have signed)
3. Ovie Ejaria -MF
4. Lucas João - FW
5. Tom McIntyre - DF
6. Yakou Méïté - FW
7. Liam Moore - DF > shift no matter what
8. George Pușcaș - FW >
9. Luke Southwood - GK > for him and us, he needs to either be No. 1 or move on and be No. 1 elsewhere. Given where we are and how this season went, I think he should go, though I'm not happy about it
10. Dejan Tetek - MF

Beyond desperately trying to shift Moore, I think we need to cash in on at least 1, preferably 2 of Ejaria, Joao, Meite and Puscas. Puscas seems destined to go, but I'm not sure how Meite fits in with Joao and under Ince, as you may be aware, I'd really rather not watch Ovie keep slowing things down and falling over the ball. Joao is the one I'd most want to keep.

Out of contract as of 1 July 2022

16 players

1. Felipe Araruna - DF we all know he's not staying
2. Femi Azeez - FW > retain
3. Brandon Barker - FW only retain if we lose at least two wide players
4. Ethan Bristow - DF retain
5. Mamadi Camará - MF > retain
6. Alen Halilović - MF > bye
7. Junior Hoilett - MF > retain
8. Tom Holmes - DF > retain
9. Josh Laurent - MF > retain
10. Marc McNulty - FW bye
11. Michael Morrison - DF > would rather keep him than Dann, but that ship sailed and I don't think the squad has room for both.
12. Orjan Nyland - GK > bang average, no Ta.
13. Andy Rinomhota - MF > retain
14. John Swift - MF > genuine thanks and goodbye
15. Terell Thomas - DF must play in the next two if there's a possibility of keeping him
16. Andy Yiadom - DF > retain

On loan until end of season

1. Tom Dele-Bashiru - MF thanks bye
2. Danny Drinkwater - MF thanks bye
3. Tom Ince - FW > retain at no more than £10k
4. Baba Rahman - DF thanks bye

GK: New Signing, Andresson, CBC
RB: Yiadom, New Signing
LB: New Signing, Bristow
CB: Thomas?, Holmes, Dann
CB: McIntyre, New Signing, Dorsett
DM: Rinomhota, Tetek
DM: New Signing, Osorio
AM: Laurent, Camara
RF: Meite, Hoilett
LF: Ince, Ejaria
ST: Joao, Azeez

Not an awful starting point.

[Zip]

Currently contracted to be at club in 2022-2023

10 players

1. Jahmari Clarke - FW > look for loan
2. Scott Dann - DF (shouldn’t have signed)
3. Ovie Ejaria -MF
4. Lucas João - FW
5. Tom McIntyre - DF
6. Yakou Méïté - FW
7. Liam Moore - DF > shift no matter what
8. George Pușcaș - FW >
9. Luke Southwood - GK > for him and us, he needs to either be No. 1 or move on and be No. 1 elsewhere. Given where we are and how this season went, I think he should go, though I'm not happy about it
10. Dejan Tetek - MF

Beyond desperately trying to shift Moore, I think we need to cash in on at least 1, preferably 2 of Ejaria, Joao, Meite and Puscas. Puscas seems destined to go, but I'm not sure how Meite fits in with Joao and under Ince, as you may be aware, I'd really rather not watch Ovie keep slowing things down and falling over the ball. Joao is the one I'd most want to keep.

Out of contract as of 1 July 2022

16 players

1. Felipe Araruna - DF we all know he's not staying
2. Femi Azeez - FW > retain
3. Brandon Barker - FW only retain if we lose at least two wide players
4. Ethan Bristow - DF retain
5. Mamadi Camará - MF > retain
6. Alen Halilović - MF > bye
7. Junior Hoilett - MF > retain
8. Tom Holmes - DF > retain
9. Josh Laurent - MF > retain
10. Marc McNulty - FW bye
11. Michael Morrison - DF > would rather keep him than Dann, but that ship sailed and I don't think the squad has room for both.
12. Orjan Nyland - GK > bang average, no Ta.
13. Andy Rinomhota - MF > retain
14. John Swift - MF > genuine thanks and goodbye
15. Terell Thomas - DF must play in the next two if there's a possibility of keeping him
16. Andy Yiadom - DF > retain

On loan until end of season

1. Tom Dele-Bashiru - MF thanks bye
2. Danny Drinkwater - MF thanks bye
3. Tom Ince - FW > retain at no more than £10k
4. Baba Rahman - DF thanks bye

GK: New Signing, Andresson, CBC
RB: Yiadom, New Signing
LB: New Signing, Bristow
CB: Thomas?, Holmes, Dann
CB: McIntyre, New Signing, Dorsett
DM: Rinomhota, Tetek
DM: New Signing, Osorio
AM: Laurent, Camara
RF: Meite, Hoilett
LF: Ince, Ejaria
ST: Joao, Azeez

Not an awful starting point.

Southwood? Still under contract if we chose to extend by another season,

[Snowflake Royal]

Currently contracted to be at club in 2022-2023

10 players

1. Jahmari Clarke - FW > look for loan
2. Scott Dann - DF (shouldn’t have signed)
3. Ovie Ejaria -MF
4. Lucas João - FW
5. Tom McIntyre - DF
6. Yakou Méïté - FW
7. Liam Moore - DF > shift no matter what
8. George Pușcaș - FW >
9. Luke Southwood - GK > for him and us, he needs to either be No. 1 or move on and be No. 1 elsewhere. Given where we are and how this season went, I think he should go, though I'm not happy about it
10. Dejan Tetek - MF

Beyond desperately trying to shift Moore, I think we need to cash in on at least 1, preferably 2 of Ejaria, Joao, Meite and Puscas. Puscas seems destined to go, but I'm not sure how Meite fits in with Joao and under Ince, as you may be aware, I'd really rather not watch Ovie keep slowing things down and falling over the ball. Joao is the one I'd most want to keep.

Out of contract as of 1 July 2022

16 players

1. Felipe Araruna - DF we all know he's not staying
2. Femi Azeez - FW > retain
3. Brandon Barker - FW only retain if we lose at least two wide players
4. Ethan Bristow - DF retain
5. Mamadi Camará - MF > retain
6. Alen Halilović - MF > bye
7. Junior Hoilett - MF > retain
8. Tom Holmes - DF > retain
9. Josh Laurent - MF > retain
10. Marc McNulty - FW bye
11. Michael Morrison - DF > would rather keep him than Dann, but that ship sailed and I don't think the squad has room for both.
12. Orjan Nyland - GK > bang average, no Ta.
13. Andy Rinomhota - MF > retain
14. John Swift - MF > genuine thanks and goodbye
15. Terell Thomas - DF must play in the next two if there's a possibility of keeping him
16. Andy Yiadom - DF > retain

On loan until end of season

1. Tom Dele-Bashiru - MF thanks bye
2. Danny Drinkwater - MF thanks bye
3. Tom Ince - FW > retain at no more than £10k
4. Baba Rahman - DF thanks bye

GK: New Signing, Andresson, CBC
RB: Yiadom, New Signing
LB: New Signing, Bristow
CB: Thomas?, Holmes, Dann
CB: McIntyre, New Signing, Dorsett
DM: Rinomhota, Tetek
DM: New Signing, Osorio
AM: Laurent, Camara
RF: Meite, Hoilett
LF: Ince, Ejaria
ST: Joao, Azeez

Not an awful starting point.

Southwood? Still under contract if we chose to extend by another season,

That's my understanding. I don’t think he or us are well served by him being No 2.

[windermereROYAL]

Only having two strikers wouldn`t fill me with too much hope.

[Snowflake Royal]

Only having two strikers wouldn`t fill me with too much hope.

That's why it's a starting point.

Plus Meite can play there and there's Ehibhatiomhan

Probably don't want more than three given we play 1 up.

[Rea Ding]

It’s finally all over and Reading know it’ll be another round of division 2 level football next season so the rebuild can officially start….

Out of contract in 2023

Largely associated with the current first team squad

Currently contracted to be at club in 2022-2023

10 players

1. Jahmari Clarke - FW > look to loan out next season
2. Scott Dann - DF
3. Ovie Ejaria -MF
4. Lucas João - FW
5. Tom McIntyre - DF
6. Yakou Méïté - FW
7. Liam Moore - DF > look to sell or loan for next season, anything to get his wage shifted
8. George Pușcaș - FW > hopefully Pisa get promoted and Reading can claim 5m Euro
9. Luke Southwood - GK > should Luke be the no. 1?
10. Dejan Tetek - MF

Out of contract as of 1 July 2022

16 players

1. Felipe Araruna - DF
2. Femi Azeez - FW > offer new deal
3. Brandon Barker - FW
4. Ethan Bristow - DF
5. Mamadi Camará - MF > offer new deal
6. Alen Halilović - MF > offer new deal
7. Junior Hoilett - MF > offer new deal
8. Tom Holmes - DF > offer new deal
9. Josh Laurent - MF > offer new deal
10. Marc McNulty - FW
11. Michael Morrison - DF > offer new deal, perhaps with coaching option
12. Orjan Nyland - GK > worth a deal? Is he an improvement on Southwood?
13. Andy Rinomhota - MF > offer new deal
14. John Swift - MF > offer a deal but really can’t see him signing
15. Terell Thomas - DF
16. Andy Yiadom - DF > offer 2 year deal

On loan until end of season

1. Tom Dele-Bashiru - MF
2. Danny Drinkwater - MF
3. Tom Ince - FW > offer a deal
4. Baba Rahman - DF

Reading need cover and strengthening in every position. Even the management position isn’t certain though I’m fairly sure it’ll be offered to Paul Ince for a season - so all those dreaming of Sean Dyche or Michael Duff are likely to be disappointed.

Would love to keep Hoilett, Yiadom, Holmes, Laurent. Swift I would like to stay but realistically think he will move on.

[Once upon a time .]

Main priorities for next season . Get a GK who is up to the required standard . Same applies to CB and LB .
In my opinion Southwood is certainly not up to being number one . I don’t see Moro being up to another season , don’t think that he really performed to his previous levels this season . For me Holmes is not up to the required standard ( more of a problem than a strength ) . I give no merit marks just because he came through the academy .
This season we have tried to compete, having a team that has been weak in too many positions , players just occupying positions not contributing a positive plus point to the team . Hence why it has not been difficult to score against us .
As there are likely to be vacancies to fill , let’s hope that the players brought in are more than just names on the team sheet .

[Pepe the Horseman]

So Ince, Holmes, Swift and Rino all injured and OOC. Hopefully they'll show their faces at the end of the WBA game for a send off, if it is goodbye...

[morganb]

Some of the lower league teams have already started to publish their released and retained lists, for example:

https://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/news ... d-may-2022

I know there are several weeks left of the Championship season but when are Reading likely to publish theirs - will it be early July once contracts expire?

[Snowflake Royal]

Some of the lower league teams have already started to publish their released and retained lists, for example:

https://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/news ... d-may-2022

I know there are several weeks left of the Championship season but when are Reading likely to publish theirs - will it be early July once contracts expire?

Would expect us to announce a raft in the next week or two, saying who will expire and who is definitely leaving.