31-year-old signs, Mutu’s Puscas admission, £2.5m bid received for star: All the latest Reading FC transfer news | OneFootball

Championship side Reading will be desperate to have a productive summer window in their quest to build a squad that will be competitive in the second tier next season.

At this stage, they are probably the early favourites for relegation considering their severe lack of squad depth in many areas, including their midfield following Josh Laurent and Andy Rinomhota’s departures.

Their situation in the middle of the park, with only Dejan Tetek available as an orthodox, senior option at this stage, just goes to show how difficult it will be for Paul Ince to guide the Royals to a positive finish at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

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The one positive for the former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder is the fact expectations at the Select Car Leasing Stadium will be low and after keeping the Berkshire outfit afloat in the division last term, he has a bit of credit in the bank.

Nonetheless, it will still be a daunting task for the ex-England international to undertake and their transfer success in the coming months could be crucial in determining whether the club can stay up again next season.

Speaking of transfers, we take a look at some of the latest news regarding confirmed and potential ins and outs at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in recent days.

Football – Everton v Oldham Athletic – FA Cup Fifth Round Replay – Goodison Park – 12/13 – 26/2/13 Dean Bouzanis – Oldham Athletic Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Ed Sykes

Dean Bouzanis has signed a three-year deal with the Royals and will officially join on the expiration of his contract at League Two side Sutton United, with this deal being confirmed by the club yesterday.

This signing could have potentially put the final nail in the coffin on Luke Southwood’s career in Berkshire considering Ince’s side have already brought in Joe Lumley this summer, with the 24-year-old reportedly being told to find a new club.

It may also enable the likes of Jokull Andresson and Coniah Boyce-Clarke to go out on loan and play regular football, something that can only help the duo with their development as they look to fulfil their potential.

At 31, some would see a three-year deal as bizarre but with his long-term future secured, the Australian could be a good option to have for the next few seasons if he can be a safe pair of hands.

Potential move for Puscas all but ruled out

Soccer Football – UEFA Nations League – Group G – Romania v Montenegro – Stadionul Rapid – Giulesti, Bucharest, Romania – June 14, 2022 Romania’s George Puscas shoots at goal Inquam Photos via REUTERS/George Calin

Rapid Bucuresti manager Adrian Mutu has admitted George Puscas is someone that has been on his radar in recent times – but doesn’t believe a deal could be struck for his services with the ex-Chelsea man speaking to digisport.ro.

The Romanian is likely to be quite a high earner at the SCL Stadium and with the Berkshire club needing to abide by a strict budget, he could be allowed to leave this summer to free up the space for others to come in.

However, they only have a very limited number of forward options at their disposal with one of those being Lucas Joao, a man that has also been linked with a move away from the club recently.

This could mean that Ince wants to retain Puscas beyond the summer, though it would make sense to get him off the wage bill if they are allowed to bring in a few players in return – because squad depth is crucial and the Romanian’s time at the club just hasn’t worked out.

Soccer Football – Championship – Reading v Blackburn Rovers – Madejski Stadium, Reading, Britain – March 19, 2022 Blackburn’s Jan Paul van Hecke in action with Reading’s Lucas Joao Action Images/Paul Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Turkish Super Lig outfit Besiktas have submitted a £2.5m bid for talisman Joao, according to a Patreon report from journalist Alan Nixon.

The Angolan forward has just one year left on his contract in Berkshire and with the Royals struggling in the bottom half of the second tier last season, it would be difficult to see him putting pen to paper on a new contract at this stage.

This means he could easily walk away for free next summer but with the club currently unable to reinvest any fee they receive for him on a transfer fee for an incoming player, it seems pointless for Ince’s side to cash in on him and it may even prove to be harmful if they do considering his goalscoring contributions.

It’s currently unclear whether they will accept this £2.5m offer – but Football League World understands Burnley, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest are interested in recruiting him as well and that could potentially create a bidding war later in the summer.