Reading FC: Saturday development could be a blessing and a curse ahead of transfer deadline | OneFootball

The Royals will be glad to have three key players back, but will also be wary that they could now attract interest before the window closes.

Reading have struggled a bit with injuries this season, though that doesn't come as a surprise.

They have lost quite a few players since the end of last season, including their former loanees and those who were released, including Nesta Guinness-Walker and Clinton Mola.

Femi Azeez also left the club, with the player making a move to Millwall for an undisclosed fee.

In return, the Royals only managed to recruit one player during the summer window, with Chem Campbell joining on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With the Berkshire outfit having barely any squad depth, and needing to call upon the same players, it's no shock that players' bodies have broken down.

Ben Elliott is out of action for the foreseeable future after undergoing surgery on his thigh - and Amadou Mbengue is also set for a period on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Charlton Athletic.

Andy Yiadom also continues to spend time on the sidelines, as well as Mamadi Camara, who will be gutted not to be fit during this period, when he could have started regularly.

However, there was some positive news on the injury front on Saturday.

Unfortunately for the Royals, they suffered a 3-1 defeat against Stockport County last weekend.

But they could take one positive from the day and that's the fact they saw three players return to the matchday squad.

Jeriel Dorsett was back on the bench after spending a period of time on the sidelines and that was a real positive.

Abraham Kanu has performed well at times at left-back, but he has also endured some very wobbly moments and having Dorsett back could strengthen the Royals' left-hand side considerably.

Hopefully, he can stay fit for quite a while because Dorsett has been on the sidelines on numerous occasions this season and will want to get a decent run of starts under his belt.

Michael Craig was also back in the matchday squad and that's a positive because he's a versatile asset who can play at right-back and in central midfield.

An extra defensive midfield option can only be a good thing for the Berkshire outfit and he could also start at right-back again if needed.

He did well on the right-hand side earlier in the season, so it will be interesting to see what part he plays between now and the end of the season.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan was the third player to return and his return is probably the biggest boost considering how much of a threat he can be in the final third when on top form.

He could make a real difference on the left, along with Dorsett, in the coming months. The goals he can bring could guide the Royals to a promising league position at the end of the campaign.

And the return of all three players mentioned provides a thin Reading squad with a major boost.

Reading FC returns could also prove to be a curse

The trio's returns have to be welcomed, considering the club's lack of squad depth. But it could also be a curse, considering the financial situation they are in and the fact these players are likely to be of interest to other teams.

The Royals still seem to be facing cash flow issues at this point, which is no surprise, considering they haven't been sold yet.

This means player sales could still be on the horizon this window, with the likes of Tyler Bindon and Harvey Knibbs being linked with a move away from the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the past month or so.

The returning Dorsett, Craig and Ehibhatiomhan are also ones to watch, with all three players seeing their contracts expire at the end of the season. The latter two may be particularly sought-after.

Craig previously attracted interest from Portsmouth - and they could potentially still have an eye on the versatile midfielder - who has won plenty of game time this season and has had plenty of opportunities to impress.

At just 21 as well, there isn't likely to be a shortage of teams monitoring his situation ahead of a potential approach, either during this window or during the summer.

Ehibhatiomhan, 21, is another young player who could attract bids during this window.

Not only has he taken his game to a new level in the past year, but his stature is also extremely valuable and advantageous, and he has also shown his ability to shoot from long range in the past.

Scoring some brilliant goals during the latter stages of last season and building on that with two goals during the early stages of this term, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him make a real impact when he starts games again.