Blackburn Rovers eyeing swoop for Reading FC star | OneFootball

Tyler Bindon is believed to be on John Eustace's radar ahead of the January transfer window, with the Royals facing a battle to retain him.

Blackburn Rovers are interested in a move for Reading centre-back Tyler Bindon.

This is according to Alan Nixon, who believes the Royals could face a major battle to retain him, with the club yet to be taken over.

The Berkshire side's ownership uncertainty has been ongoing for more than a year now, with the club being put up for sale last year, but a takeover not yet being completed.

Fans of the League One club have witnessed a number of false dawns since the club was put up for sale, with Genevra Associates trying and failing to get a takeover deal over the line during the latter stages of 2023.

Chiron Sports Group then entered a period of exclusivity back in March, before former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig emerged as the favourite to take control of the third-tier outfit.

He was even present at a couple of games at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in August, but his attempts to get a deal over the line were unsuccessful, and the club is in a new exclusivity period with another party.

The current party have had exclusivity since October 7th, but their identity remains unknown and there have been no real updates on the current takeover in the media, so the Royals' fanbase has been left in the dark.

Many supporters are fearing that a firesale could happen again in January to keep the club afloat, with the likes of Joel Pereira, Bindon, Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith all likely to be of interest to clubs, as well as Andre Garcia, who has recently been linked with a move away from Berkshire.

Bindon is likely to be particularly in demand, considering the fact he's only 19, but has started plenty of games this season and has shone in a number of those matches.

Blackburn Rovers eyeing Tyler Bindon move

According to Nixon, Rovers are "heading the race" for Bindon at this stage.

Unlikely to be short of interest, the New Zealand international may have a difficult decision to make in January if the club accepts an offer for him.

That's a real possibility at this stage, with his contract expiring at the end of the season and the Royals unlikely to want to lose him for free.

Their takeover situation and potential future cash flow issues could also make a deal a reality, so this is a potential saga to keep an eye on, with Nixon believing the Berkshire side may face a battle to retain him beyond January.

Bindon is one of the Royals' most integral players.

He may only be 19, but his composure and intelligence in defence works perfectly with Amadou Mbengue's attributes, and it would be a real blow for the Berkshire team if the New Zealand international moved on in January.

The coaching staff and the fans will be desperate to see him stay, but those at the top of the club may feel he should be sold to solve any potential cash flow issues that they may face.

That's unfair on others at the SCL Stadium, because it's the inability of others at the top to get the club sold that's causing these fears ahead of January.