Reading FC ownership latest: Will Storey £50m takeover update, US parties keen | OneFootball

Reading's ownership saga is hotting up with rumours of a takeover coming to the boil.

Reading owner Dai Yongge has been under fire from supporters with concerns over the financial security of the football club in the short-term while the recent relegation, points deduction, and allegedly failing to deposit enough money to pay the club's monthly wage bill, according to BBC Sport, all making matters even worse in Berkshire.

A two-year transfer embargo came to an end this summer after wages-to-turnover ratio was more than 200% from 2018 to 2021 seasons, with the club needing to reduce the wage bill significantly and adapt a new transfer strategy in recent times with a focus on young and academy talent to get the club back into the Championship.

Losing the likes of Tom Ince, Yakou Méïté and Andy Carroll to name a few has significantly reduced the quality and experience within the Royals ranks with the four-point deduction meaning the club are languishing in the relegation zone currently, picking up three wins from 11 matches.

While a string of positive results would be welcomed by Rubén Sellés, who has been left to navigate through the chaos, matters off the pitch have since taken centre stage as we take a look at the recent updates regarding the ownership situation.

The Royals are set to complete a £50 million takeover led by William Storey, who previously sponsored F1 team Haas in the form of Rich Energy, according to the Telegraph.

Storey had previously been linked with moves to buy Sunderland and Coventry City in recent years and has surfaced once again in Reading's time of need.

The deal is subject to the EFL's Owners and Directors test with reservations from the wider footballing sphere as to whether the deal will actually go through.

Will the deal to buy Reading go through?

While many Reading supporters eagerly await new ownership and hopefully a brighter future ahead for the club, they will also be wary about who will come in to take charge.

According to Tim Dellor of BBC Sport, sources have said such deal is unlikely to go through, however, there are reportedly other interested parties from the US who could look to capitalise on the precarious situation.

Both parties will want to ensure they are getting good value for their money as Dai Yongge's time at the helm could be coming to an end after coming into the fold in May 2017, after previously attempting to buy Hull City, according to the Independent.

The leading fan-led protest movement have been in vocal in their dismay for the current Reading regime, leading marches and fundraisers while helping secure the stadium as an Asset of Community Value in collaboration with Reading Borough Council.

A recent statement outlined their concerns over the reported takeover, noting the lack of "transparency" regarding the bid.

In the opening of the statement, spokesperson Nick Houlton said: "When we set up Sell Before We Dai, we didn’t want to be just another protest group. We wanted to make fan voices heard and fight for a solution to football’s ownership problem.

"To say we have our reservations about William Storey is an understatement. He has zero experience in football, his foray into F1 ended acrimoniously, and his previous bids, including this one, have been characterised as attention seeking.

"His bid also lacks transparency. The funding is not entirely out of his own pocket and his communication with fans has been a concerning mixture of antagonistic and publicly cryptic.”