Reading FC player set for surprise transfer ahead of deadline | OneFootball

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Reading striker Andy Carroll is set to join French side Amiens ahead of the transfer deadline later this week.

Andy Carroll set to leave Reading

The powerful target man returned for his second spell with the Royals in the previous campaign, and he scored nine goals in 30 games during what was a decent season for Carroll individually.

However, a points deduction meant it was one to forget for Reading, as they were relegated to League One.

Carroll had a deal that ran until 2024, so it was expected that he would be part of the squad that looked to bounce back this season, and he did play the first two league games of the season, which the Berkshire outfit lost.

Since then, there has been doubts about the future of Carroll, and boss Ruben Selles revealed last week that he was open to letting the former Liverpool man go, along with other experienced players.

The financial situation at the club means that they are targeting younger, hungrier players as they look to build a new squad, and Carroll is seemingly not part of the plans.

And, in a surprising development, Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath confirmed that the 34-year-old is set for a switch to the French second tier.

“Reading striker Andy Carroll in talks over a move to French club Amiens SC. The former England international, 34, at the Ligue 2 club to conclude the deal.”

Will Reading miss Andy Carroll?

As mentioned, after scoring almost one in three in the Championship last season, there would have been an expectation that Carroll could be a key player in League One.

He certainly has the physicality to cope with the league, and he is someone who is a constant threat if you get the ball in the box, to give him something to attack.

But, it hasn’t really played like that, with Carroll struggling to make his mark in the early games this season, and he hasn’t featured in the last three, with Reading winning two of those.

The emergence of Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, who scored twice in the victory over Stevenage last time out, shows there is talent coming through.

Clearly, Reading want to go in a different direction, and Selles is a coach that should be in a position to develop the youngsters, and build around those talented players in the group.

So, most will understand the decision, and they will appreciate the efforts that Carroll has shown during his time in the shirt over the years.

Reading summer transfer plans

If Carroll does move on, the obvious positive is that it’s a wage off the books, which could free up space to get some more players in.

Even though there have been some positive signs in the past few weeks, it’s still clear that new recruits are needed to improve the squad, and many fans will feel that several areas of the side should be addressed.

Of course, that may not be possible, but it will be intriguing to see what the squad looks like come 11pm on Friday, which is when clubs must have their business done by.