Everton player will need key assurance to agree Reading FC switch: View | OneFootball

A move to the Select Car Leasing Stadium could be a good option for Reece Welch, but he needs to put game time first.

Reading are eyeing a move for Everton centre-back Reece Welch.

This is according to Football Insider, who believes the Select Car Leasing Stadium could be the central defender's next destination.

The Royals are in desperate need of signings, having failed to get any additions over the line so far due to their takeover situation.

With Rob Couhig yet to purchase the club from Dai Yongge, it would be difficult to see the Berkshire side do a huge amount in the transfer market in the coming days, even though Femi Azeez has recently been sold to Millwall for a fee in the region of £1m.

This amount could allow the Berkshire side to recruit some decent loan players, but they may need that cash to keep the club going if a takeover falls through, and this could mean that the club needs to cope with the current crop of players they have.

In fairness, they have a very talented starting lineup and with the likes of Lewis Wing, Ben Elliott, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Sam Smith all able to make a difference in the final third, along with Harvey Knibbs when he's fit, the Royals look a threat.

But they are lacking depth in so many positions at this stage - and they could struggle until the January window comes along unless they make some additions in the coming days.

At least one left-back is required before the window closes - and the wing and striker departments also need to be looked at.

The Royals have taken a bettering in the centre-back department in 2024.

Nelson Abbey, Tom Holmes and Tom McIntyre were all sold during the January transfer window, and although Holmes was loaned back to the Royals for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign, he is now gone.

Another loan for Holmes seems unlikely at this point, so the Berkshire side will need to look at other options.

Zane Monlouis was previously an option, but like Holmes, he has returned to his parent club, having only made one appearance for Ruben Selles' side during his time at the SCL Stadium.

Sam Hutchinson and Clinton Mola also left in the summer, so the centre-back area definitely needs to be looked at.

Harlee Dean and Abraham Kanu may be available as backup options to Tyler Bindon and Amadou Mbengue, but Dean hasn't looked great during his time in Berkshire and Kanu is still a youngster who may need a loan spell away from Berkshire before he becomes an important first-teamer for Selles.

The Royals suffered a 3-0 away loss at Wrexham last weekend and that would suggest that Bindon and Mbengue struggled in North Wales, but others were arguably at fault for the scoreline.

The first two goals came from wide areas, with Jeriel Dorsett struggling, and the third came from a failure to close the ball down, although the Berkshire side should have been awarded a free kick just before that.

And it can definitely be said that Bindon and Mbengue have formed a good partnership, with the two performing well together.

Bindon has shown great maturity for his age and can read the game well, also showing great technical ability to pass out from the back.

And Mbengue is a pacy centre-back who is a real menace to strikers.

Both deserve the opportunity to continue starting for the foreseeable future if they can continue playing well - but that doesn't bode well for Welch if he joins.

The 20-year-old, who currently plies his trade for the Toffees, needs to get more senior experience under his belt in the coming months to give him the best chance of fulfilling his potential.

It would be difficult to see him not being ahead of the likes of Dean and Kanu in the pecking order, but he needs starts if he wants to develop.

The 20-year-old may have the opportunity to start in the EFL Trophy, but he needs to play regularly in the league too and he may not have that opportunity if he makes the temporary switch to Berkshire.

This is why Welch needs assurances regarding his game time before he potentially makes the move to the League One club.