Reading FC: Transfer swoop for Chelsea player could benefit all parties | OneFootball

A move for Harvey Vale could be possible - and the Royals should be looking to target a move for the Blues' man.

Reading will probably be focusing on keeping players in January, rather than recruiting some new first-teamers.

That will be very surprising for some, considering the Royals lack depth in quite a few positions.

But they are continuing to face cash flow challenges and with a takeover seemingly not close, they may need to cash in on players to stay afloat for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.

That would be a massive blow for the Berkshire side because they have made a very decent start to the season and have been able to climb into the play-offs despite their off-field issues.

But the departure of Ruben Selles and some January window sales could halt their momentum.

Fears of a fire sale next month are legitimate and understandable, considering a number of first-teamers were sold during the previous January window, including Nelson Abbey, Tom Holmes, Tom McIntyre, and Caylan Vickers.

More sales in January could put them in a severely weakened position, so if a takeover is somehow completed in time for the January window, the Royals' full focus should be on improving a number of areas.

The goalkeeping department is well-covered but they could benefit from adding another central defender to their squad, improving their full-back area and making moves to strengthen their wing and striker area.

The Royals have had a relationship with the Blues at different points in the last 15 years or so.

Ryan Bertrand and Shaun Cummings both came from the Premier League giants while Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah joined on loan during the 2014/15 campaign.

In recent years, Cesare Casadei signed on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and shone at times while Ben Elliott made a permanent move to the Select Car Leasing Stadium during the 2023 summer window.

Capitalising on that relationship with the top-tier side by securing a deal for Vale would be ideal but whether they can recruit any players in January remains to be seen.

Harvey Vale could be a valuable signing for Reading FC

Vale already has League One experience under his belt from his time at Bristol Rovers and that could allow him to hit the ground running at the SCL Stadium.

A permanent move may be difficult for the Royals to execute because other teams could be in the mix for him in January but his contract expires in 2025 and that could open the door for a free transfer, with a hefty sell-on clause involved.

The Royals negotiated a similar deal for Elliott and with their relationship with the Blues in mind, Noel Hunt's side should be in the mix for him if they have the opportunity to get some winter deals over the line.

And if a sale or two is made, that could make room for Vale to come in, even if they can't bring him in at the start of January. A loan deal could also be a possibility if the Blues decide to extend his contract, so it will be interesting to see what happens in January.

Vale would be an excellent permanent addition in Berkshire though, considering he's only 21, already has some senior experience under his belt, may not take too long to settle in Berkshire and wouldn't be short of motivation to do well.

He's also an extremely versatile player and that's important for a team that lacks depth in a number of areas.

The 21-year-old can operate centrally but he is also a useful player to have at left-back and in the wing area. And the latter two positions both need to be looked at.

Jeriel Dorsett and Andre Garcia can play at left-back, but the latter is only young and has recently been linked with a move away from Berkshire. Dorsett isn't a natural full-back either, so bringing in a left-back should be on their agenda.

And on the wing, it's unclear whether Chem Campbell will remain with the Royals for the remainder of the campaign. If he doesn't, that could leave the Berkshire outfit with very few options out wide, with Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan currently out injured with a severe injury.

With all of this in mind, Vale could be a very shrewd signing and with the right structure, a deal that works for all parties.