Plymouth Argyle may have Reading FC regret as Stoke City, Steven Schumacher eyes target: View | OneFootball

Femi Azeez was on the Pilgrims' radar in January, but they failed to get a deal sorted for the Reading man

Stoke City are said to have had a bid rejected for Reading FC star Femi Azeez this summer.

That’s according to a report from TEAMtalk earlier this week, who claim that Steven Schumacher’s side were keen to add the playmaker to their side ahead of the 24/25 campaign.

While Schumacher’s former employers Plymouth Argyle are still said to have an interest in the Royals man - as well as Millwall - the Greens will be ruing their decision from earlier in the year not to pursue a deal for the 23-year-old.

Wayne Rooney’s first match as Pilgrims boss ended in a 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday last Sunday, and the need for a creative spark in the final third was clear for all to see. Azeez could well have been that man.

Argyle were said to be working right until the final stages of the January transfer window to try to bring Azeez into the club earlier this year, as they looked to add more pizzazz to their attacking options.

With Morgan Whittaker’s future up in the air at the time - as it is still currently - the Reading man seemed like an ideal replacement for the Devonians, with the left-footer providing ample moments of quality for the Berkshire outfit.

But try as they might, Argyle couldn’t force a deal through before the transfer window came to an end, and with a number of other Championship clubs joining the race this summer, they must be regretting letting him slip through the net.

Stoke City, Millwall join Femi Azeez race

Schumacher and his Potters side seem to be the outfit that has the most interest in Azeez as it stands, with a bid already being rejected by Reading in the transfer window.

Darren Witcoop of The Mirror also claimed that Millwall are said to be chasing the young playmaker, while also confirming that Argyle still have an interest in his services, following their January pursuit.

The 23-year-old missed his side’s opening match of the League One season against Birmingham City at the weekend with an apparent back strain, but Royals fans will be looking to see plenty more of him at the Madejski Stadium in the season ahead.

The former Wealdstone man was a breath of fresh air during a testing time for his side in the previous campaign, with 17 goal contributions helping his side finish comfortable above the drop zone, having had to fight points deductions along the way.

With the likes of Sam Smith and Harvey Knibbs alongside him, Azeez had the perfect platform to show what he can do against League One defences, and seemed to thrive under the pressure as the Royals continued to fight for their very existence as a football club.

Reading FC takeover deal could scupper Femi Azeez plans

As reported by Bloomberg earlier this week, former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig is closing in on completing a deal to take over the club from controversial businessman Dai Yongge.

Yongge’s stewardship of the Royals has seen them spiral down the football pyramid in recent years, with a number of financial issues blighting the Berkshire outfit, and leaving them with constant hurdles to overcome.

Despite their money issues, Reading were always keen to keep hold of Azeez, and that stance is only likely to be strengthened by Couhig’s arrival into the club, although he still only has a year left on his current deal after signing a one-year extension in May.

With the creator-in-chief likely to attract a much bigger transfer fee than he would have done in January, Argyle will be ruing not getting the deal over the line earlier in the year, with Azeez likely to have a bright future in the game.