SQUADWATCH - Summer 2026

[Doc]

I really do hope we utilise the free transfer market well this year. There is a lot of great players free this year I have made a quick team up of those free in league 1/likely to come down from champ that would likely compete next year.
GK- Bradley Collins
LB Cohen Bramall
RB Brad Potts
CB Charlie Goode
CB Jonathan Panzo
CM - George Johnston
CM - Archie Collins
LAM Placheta
CAM Myles Peart Harris or Callum Wright
RAM Jacob Brown
CF Daryl Dyke ( I know I am dreaming with this one but I don’t think there will be many offers)

I think this would be a competitive realistic free agent team (minus Dyke who I think will go back to America rather than drop down) Billy Sharp anyone? Atleast he can’t score against us then.

I’d throw in Wintle (CM), G. Johnston (CB) and Osei-Tutu (RB) from those leaving the promoted clubs.

Odin Bailey (CAM) released by Stockport today

Quite surprised by that, I thought that he pretty good, a more athletic and effective version of Doyle.

[linkenholtroyal]

I really do hope we utilise the free transfer market well this year. There is a lot of great players free this year I have made a quick team up of those free in league 1/likely to come down from champ that would likely compete next year.
GK- Bradley Collins
LB Cohen Bramall
RB Brad Potts
CB Charlie Goode
CB Jonathan Panzo
CM - George Johnston
CM - Archie Collins
LAM Placheta
CAM Myles Peart Harris or Callum Wright
RAM Jacob Brown
CF Daryl Dyke ( I know I am dreaming with this one but I don’t think there will be many offers)

I think this would be a competitive realistic free agent team (minus Dyke who I think will go back to America rather than drop down) Billy Sharp anyone? Atleast he can’t score against us then.

I’d throw in Wintle (CM), G. Johnston (CB) and Osei-Tutu (RB) from those leaving the promoted clubs.

Odin Bailey (CAM) released by Stockport today

Agree all 3 of those would be great, Wintle especially. to be honest we need 2 options at CAM and any 2 of the 3 mentioned would be great, Peart Harris wright or Bailey.

[Orion1871]

I’d throw in Wintle (CM), G. Johnston (CB) and Osei-Tutu (RB) from those leaving the promoted clubs.

Odin Bailey (CAM) released by Stockport today

Quite surprised by that, I thought that he pretty good, a more athletic and effective version of Doyle.

May have been negotiating elsewhere since January as his contract was running out.

[Marcel]

I’d throw in Wintle (CM), G. Johnston (CB) and Osei-Tutu (RB) from those leaving the promoted clubs.

Can’t see any names there I recognise or would encourage me to drive the 20 miles to watch them

Really? If that’s really the case I would suggest that you’re possibly going to be disappointed this summer.

Wintle was Cardiff captain, played in most of their games and ran the show against us recently. Johnston was Bolton captain and was really good for them in the playoff final on Sunday. Osei-Tutu is rapid and attacking, Bolton’s regular right back. That’s before you consider the many good options in the original list.

I’ve been disappointed since Richardson arrived. That alone was enough for me decide not to renew my season ticket.
So no I won’t be disappointed as it won’t affect me.

[stealthpapes]

Have any Premiership clubs announced their released lists yet? I guess it’s delayed by the season finishing a few weeks later?

[MR. CYNICAL]

I’d throw in Wintle (CM), G. Johnston (CB) and Osei-Tutu (RB) from those leaving the promoted clubs.

Can’t see any names there I recognise or would encourage me to drive the 20 miles to watch them

Really? If that’s really the case I would suggest that you’re possibly going to be disappointed this summer.

Wintle was Cardiff captain, played in most of their games and ran the show against us recently. Johnston was Bolton captain and was really good for them in the playoff final on Sunday. Osei-Tutu is rapid and attacking, Bolton’s regular right back. That’s before you consider the many good options in the original list.

So good, they've been released. You'd expect even a promoted club would keep some of their better players.

[Orion1871]

Can’t see any names there I recognise or would encourage me to drive the 20 miles to watch them

Really? If that’s really the case I would suggest that you’re possibly going to be disappointed this summer.

Wintle was Cardiff captain, played in most of their games and ran the show against us recently. Johnston was Bolton captain and was really good for them in the playoff final on Sunday. Osei-Tutu is rapid and attacking, Bolton’s regular right back. That’s before you consider the many good options in the original list.

And a Reading academy player before he was nicked by the gooners.

[morganb]

Understand Rinomhota has rejected the current #readingfc contract offer. Yet to be seen if they up the offer but he has interest elsewhere Inc Shef Wed, Wycombe and Leyton O

https://x.com/i/status/2061879953654792541

[Clyde1998]

Understand Rinomhota has rejected the current #readingfc contract offer. Yet to be seen if they up the offer but he has interest elsewhere Inc Shef Wed, Wycombe and Leyton O

https://x.com/i/status/2061879953654792541

Don’t blame him tbh. Seems he was available for selection but wasn’t getting used towards the end of last season.

Don’t know why he’d want to stay if he’s got other viable offers.

[Stranded]

Understand Rinomhota has rejected the current #readingfc contract offer. Yet to be seen if they up the offer but he has interest elsewhere Inc Shef Wed, Wycombe and Leyton O

https://x.com/i/status/2061879953654792541

Don’t blame him tbh. Seems he was available for selection but wasn’t getting used towards the end of last season.

Don’t know why he’d want to stay if he’s got other viable offers.

Very much this - at 29 he's probably just going past his peak and if his personal problems are behind him, he's hardly going to want to waste those years if he has stronger options (in terms of 1st team mins) available to him.

On a more general note, I know WC years do tend to have an impact on the transfer market in terms of moves happening but since the season has ended, this is the quietest I think I have ever known it in terms of transfer "news" - even during the last couple of years of Dai, we were still being linked to a decent number of players, however fanciful. This summer - one dubious rumour about Will Keane and supposed continued interest in Lisbie and that's it.

[stealthpapes]

Summer 2024, iirc, we brought in one player. On loan.

[Marcel]

Understand Rinomhota has rejected the current #readingfc contract offer. Yet to be seen if they up the offer but he has interest elsewhere Inc Shef Wed, Wycombe and Leyton O

https://x.com/i/status/2061879953654792541

Don’t blame him tbh. Seems he was available for selection but wasn’t getting used towards the end of last season.

Don’t know why he’d want to stay if he’s got other viable offers.

Richardson is not interested in players like Rino. He only plays hoof ball so doesn’t need a conventional midfield.
Any quality will be squeezed out of the club under this clown

[nailseabiscuitman]

Not completely sure why Rinomohta is seen as the total answer. He didn't waste time jumping ship to Cardiff and even though he appeared to be reasonably successful there, albeit at right back he wasn't offered a new contract. Are his wage demands excessive? He had a relatively unsuccessful loan period at Rotherham. He obviously used Readings facilities initially for fitness reasons I assume and probably if his family are still in Portchester for personal reasons too. No other club appear to have bid for his services at that time. He was then going to dissappear for the African Cup which unfortunately for him was cut short due to family problems and was unavailable for us during that period.
I certainly have no idea if all this has any bearing on what contract has or hasn't been offered to him but after our disastrous financial mismanagement under the previous regime perhaps this is why events have unfolded as they have. It's lazy just to say it's just down to LR when we don't know the whole story.

[Royalwaster]

Not completely sure why Rinomohta is seen as the total answer. He didn't waste time jumping ship to Cardiff and even though he appeared to be reasonably successful there, albeit at right back he wasn't offered a new contract. Are his wage demands excessive? He had a relatively unsuccessful loan period at Rotherham. He obviously used Readings facilities initially for fitness reasons I assume and probably if his family are still in Portchester for personal reasons too. No other club appear to have bid for his services at that time. He was then going to dissappear for the African Cup which unfortunately for him was cut short due to family problems and was unavailable for us during that period.
I certainly have no idea if all this has any bearing on what contract has or hasn't been offered to him but after our disastrous financial mismanagement under the previous regime perhaps this is why events have unfolded as they have. It's lazy just to say it's just down to LR when we don't know the whole story.

Yeah and his personal issues have also not just evaporated.

[JedMaxwell]

Our opinions of Rinomhota are clouded because he was very good for us, and from his debut to his last game he pretty much always put in at least a seven out of 10 performance.

I would personally love to keep him as he is not just a good player with a good few years left in his legs, but is a good influence around the place and gets on with the task at hand with no fuss. If he's turned down the contract we offered, it could well be that we're being a bit more cautious these days so are offering less than he wants, or he's already had contact from someone else he'd like to play for.

Of course, we could have offered him a shit contract knowing he would turn it down, just so the club can curry a bit of favour with the fans who want him to stay. But that might be me being too cynical.

I am not sure we have much pulling power this summer, as although Leicester are a basket case they will be offering big money in the hope they can go straight back up, and Sheff Wed are always a big draw at this level.

Add to that the absolutely turgid football and understandably apathetic fans, and we'll be scraping the bottom of the out-of-contract barrel midway through August to see what dreck we can dredge up.

[Extended-Phenotype]

If he’s knocked back an offer from us, that’s his prerogative rather than something to berate the manager about. I doubt LR has much of a say in wages.

Could do with a proper DM, though. Fraser looked the ticket at first but hasn’t been particularly convincing since.

I think getting that central midfield sorted out is key. I know we all want another striker, and some pace on the wings would be good, but I’d argue that most of our problems came from the middle of the park.

[Sutekh]

If he’s knocked back an offer from us, that’s his prerogative rather than something to berate the manager about. I doubt LR has much of a say in wages.

Could do with a proper DM, though. Fraser looked the ticket at first but hasn’t been particularly convincing since.

I think getting that central midfield sorted out is key. I know we all want another striker, and some pace on the wings would be good, but I’d argue that most of our problems came from the middle of the park.

A good DM and a pacey 8 would be on my list for midfield.

We also need to sort out the wing/full back positions once and for all as currently we seem to have a load of cover but no stand out first choices.