One winner and one loser at Reading FC as club set to recruit 32-year-old | OneFootball

Championship outfit Reading are closing in on the signing of former Sheffield Wednesday centre-back Sam Hutchinson, according to an update from assistant manager Alex Rae who spoke to Berkshire Live.

The 32-year-old has been a free agent since leaving the Owls on the expiration of his contract at Hillsborough, with Darren Moore opting against extending his stay in South Yorkshire despite seeing him appear as a regular figure during the 2021/22 campaign.

Paul Ince’s side have given him the chance to step back up to the second tier though, coming in on trial and impressing against the likes of Benfica and West Ham United recently, certainly doing himself no harm in his quest to earn a contract.

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The centre-back area is one they would ideally want to strengthen with former captain Liam Moore set to miss the start of the season with an injury, a real blow for the Jamaican who may have wanted to seal a move away from the Select Car Leasing Stadium this summer.

However, Hutchinson looks set to come in and fill that void and he could prove to be a much-needed addition with Scott Dann also out of action at this stage.

Not everyone in Berkshire will benefit from this move, but others will. And with this, we take a look at one winner and one loser at the second-tier side with the deal set to be finalised.

Winner: Joe Lumley

Soccer Football – FA Cup Fifth Round – Middlesbrough v Tottenham Hotspur – Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, Britain – March 1, 2022 Middlesbrough’s Joe Lumley celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

The Royals had the joint-worst defensive record in the division alongside Peterborough United last term, conceding 87 goals and this is a recipe for disaster with a goalkeeper that made quite a few mistakes at Middlesbrough last season.

He did perform well against West Ham at the weekend – but he won’t want to be constantly under siege. The more shots he faces, the more likely it is that he will make more mistakes so having someone like Hutchinson who can come in and sure things up at the back will be a big boost for the former Queens Park Rangers shot-stopper.

If Lumley is confident about his backline, that will also help to reduce the errors he makes and during a season that will be so crucial for him, this will be vital so the arrival of the former Owl can only be good news for the Berkshire side’s currently first-choice stopper.

The keeper could earn himself another second-tier move next summer if he can impress at the Select Car Leasing Stadium – and having a positive campaign is nothing short of essential for the 27-year-old who struggled at times during 2021/22.

Soccer Football – Championship – Reading v Blackpool – Madejski Stadium, Reading, Britain – October 20, 2021 Reading’s Scott Dann celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Action Images/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY

35-year-old Dann could potentially be pushed down the pecking order with this imminent arrival considering Ince already has the likes of Tom Holmes and Tom McIntyre as existing options.

The former England international may opt to pick the latter two over Dann considering both are probably longer-term options for the Royals – and Hutchinson may also climb above the ex-Crystal Palace man in Ince’s thoughts after impressing during pre-season thus far.

Dann, meanwhile, has spent much of Ince’s time at the helm on the sidelines and this has given him a disadvantage in his quest to assert himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Also having Julian Jeanvier on trial earlier this month, it wouldn’t be a major surprise if the second-tier side decides to bring in another central defender, especially after operating with a back three at the weekend.

This would be another blow for the 35-year-old in his quest to be a regular starter during this upcoming season.