Raggett in, Dean out: The dream start to Reading FC's summer transfer window | OneFootball

Reading will need to do plenty of business in the transfer market following a damaging January transfer window.

They may have been able to stay up and they may not have lost Femi Azeez, but some valuable players for the future left the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The likes of Nelson Abbey, Tom Holmes, Taylan Harris, and Caylan Vickers all departed, with all four departures a real blow for the Royals.

Abbey, Harris and Vickers all have a huge amount of potential - and Holmes is an excellent player to have in League One.

But those players have gone and so have their former loanees, along with some of those who are out of contract, including Nesta Guiness-Walker, Clinton Mola, Matty Carson and Sam Hutchinson.

Continuing with the theme of player movement, we have selected one player the Royals should be looking to sign and one they should be looking to offload to kick off their summer transfer window in the right manner.

In: Sean Raggett

The centre-back department took a hit in January, with Abbey moving on to Olympiacos and Holmes being sold to Luton Town before being loaned back for the remainder of the season.

With Holmes not playing very much during the second half of the season though, it seems unlikely that he will be returning for another loan, even if he isn't ready to play regularly for the Hatters.

Zane Monlouis, meanwhile, has returned to Arsenal and that leaves the Royals with work to do in this area when the summer window opens, regardless of whether their existing options stay put or not.

Raggett could be an excellent early summer addition if the Royals takeover happens sooner rather than later with the 30-year-old playing a big part in Portsmouth's promotion push during the 2023/24 campaign.

Pompey's decision to release him came as a surprise, but he could be a much-needed, experienced addition with the likes of Tyler Bindon and Amadou Mbengue potentially benefitting from learning from a more experienced head.

Harlee Dean could have been that experienced head, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he moves on.

Out: Harlee Dean

Joining the club after his contract at Birmingham City expired, it looked as though Dean was going to be a brilliant signing for the Royals.

But he has failed to impress and has rarely played, being kept out of the starting lineup by the likes of Holmes, Bindon and Mbengue, all of whom have contributed much more to the Royals' cause than Dean has.

With the experience he has, the latter should have been a much more important addition in Berkshire, but he wasn't given a major chance by Ruben Selles to make amends during the latter stages of the season and it seems a real waste to still have him at the club.

Abbey and Holmes may have left, along with Monlouis, and Mola has also gone.

However, if the Royals can retain Bindon and Mbengue, strengthen this area and make Dorsett a centre-back, Dean could be surplus to requirements.

Some of the Royals' academy players may even move ahead of him in the pecking order next season, so offloading him would probably be a good idea if that means they can replace him with someone else.

He was jeered against Swindon Town last year in the EFL Trophy, just going to show that he isn't exactly adored in Berkshire. But his experience alone could earn him another move, although the Royals may need to let him go for free.