Decision made over Arsenal duo amid Reading FC transfer interest | OneFootball

Reading are set to miss out on midfield duo Miguel Azeez and Omari Hutchinson.

According to the Reading Chronicle, both are set to remain at Arsenal next season despite interest from the Royals.

Paul Ince’s side avoided relegation from the Championship with a 21st place finish in the table.

A six-point penalty deduction gave the club extra work in moving ahead of the bottom three, but the team concluded the campaign four points clear of the relegation zone.

Azeez is the brother of Reading winger Femi, but the pair will not be playing together at the Madejski Stadium next season.

According to the Sun, Arsenal’s failure to secure qualification for the Champions League has played a factor in the decision.

Instead Mikel Arteta’s team will be competing in the Europa League, where the 40-year old intends to give youngsters such as Azeez and Hutchinson a chance in the first team set.

The Gunners have had great success in recent seasons with bringing in younger players such as Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe so will be hoping these players will take this opportunity to prove what they are capable of.

Reading will be hoping to avoid any relegation scrap next season under Ince having worked hard to maintain their status in the second division.

The Verdict

This comes as a blow to Reading as the pair arriving in would have made for good additions to the team.

It remains to be seen how the Royals intend to improve their squad over the summer months.

With John Swift likely to leave, there will be a big hole to fill in the starting lineup.

Targeting young players at Premier League clubs that are looking to gain experience could be a good way to enhance the ceiling of the talent in the squad.