Harlee Dean? The 3 Reading FC players that need to prove a point in pre-season or risk 2024/25 axe | OneFootball

Despite their lack of squad depth, there are a few players that the Royals could offload if they don't prove their worth in pre-season.

Reading desperately need some additions before the opening day of the season.

Not only are they lacking in quality at the moment, despite the fact they have some talented players at their disposal, but they are also lacking in depth and that could limit departures in the next couple of months.

There are some areas that have a sufficient amount of depth, with Kelvin Abrefa’s decision to sign a new contract providing a much-needed option at right-back.

However, it’s clear that there’s work to be done, both in terms of signing players and offloading those who won’t be of much use to the Royals during the 2024/25 campaign and potentially beyond.

We take a look at some of those who could be deemed surplus to requirements at the Select Car Leasing Stadium unless they shine during the pre-season period.

Dean Bouzanis

Australian shot-stopper Bouzanis is one of five goalkeeping options at the SCL Stadium.

With this in mind, he will need to impress if he wants to have any chance of securing a first-team spot for the 2024/25 season.

The keeper may have started on the opening day of the 2023/24 campaign against Peterborough United, but he doesn’t look set to be in the matchday squad against Birmingham City on the opening day of next term, as things stand.

David Button may not be in favour, with Joel Pereira taking his starting place, but he could be a backup next season if he stays put in Berkshire.

And that could consign Bouzanis to a place in the stands if he doesn’t go out on loan.

The Australian only has one year left on his contract and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a permanent exit is sanctioned, but he hasn’t been offloaded yet and he could have a second chance to try and prove to Ruben Selles why he should be heavily involved when 2024/25 comes along.

Jokull Andresson

Fellow shot-stopper Andresson is another player who may face the axe unless he can prove himself in pre-season.

The Icelandic keeper is clearly a talented keeper and because of his previous loan spells at the likes of Morecambe, Exeter City and Carlisle United, he already has some EFL experience under his belt.

But Coniah Boyce-Clarke is another young option and he may be seen as a future number one, as opposed to Andresson.

Andresson is another player who sees his deal expire in 2025 and it feels like it’s now or never for the 22-year-old, who desperately needs a solid pre-season under his belt.

He may even need to rely on one or two keepers leaving to be involved in the first team next term, so it will be interesting to see what happens with the young stopper.

Harlee Dean

Centre-back Dean could get another chance to prove his worth, with the Royals not having a huge number of options in this position.

Zane Monlouis and Tom Holmes have returned to Arsenal and Luton Town following the end of their loan spells and Sam Hutchinson has been released, leaving the Royals with very few options.

With the Berkshire side operating with a back four and Selles starting Tyler Bindon and Amadou Mbengue regularly during the final few months of the 2023/24 campaign, Dean is unlikely to start regularly during the early stages of the next term unless there’s an injury.

But if there’s a takeover and some signings come in, he may not be involved at all next season.

And it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the former Birmingham man agree to a termination of his contract, with the defender’s spell in Berkshire proving to be disastrous thus far.

However, he still has time to turn things around.