Summer Rebuild

[Hoop Blah]

I know Hector could possibly play right back, but apart from that, and as long as we do sign a striker, it's the one position lacking cover.

guessing some of the u21 lads?

Keown.

[PistolPete]

Keown or Long I guess could fill in at right back.

Not looking good for Cox and Stacey...

Lets get Dominic Iorfa from wolves and complete the squad

[Nameless]

You could write Stacey where it says Fosu and then it wouldn't appear good for Fosu.

[Esteban]

Keown or Long I guess could fill in at right back.

Not looking good for Cox and Stacey...

Lets get Dominic Iorfa from wolves and complete the squad

Stacey is still young, a loan move wouldn't be a bad thing. Cox's time at the club is probably up, once Samuel is fit.

Your squad omits HRK though. Is that deliberate?

Edit: oh no, there he is.

[NewCorkSeth]

Um.. no it doesnt..

[mikey0406]

I still know its early in the season and some of these signings haven't even kicked a ball for us yet but I think the club has done fantastic business and credit needs to go to the Thais who have backed the manager, the scouting team behind the scenes, Nicky Hammond for some of the negotiating skills and Clarke for persuading the players to buy into what he's trying to create here.

If anyone would of said to me back at the beginning of July that we would make this many signings and still be genuinely looking going into the final day I would of laughed at you then punched you for being stupid. apart from the goalkeeping department we are stronger across the pitch in every department!

congrats.... now when can I buy a half season ticket lol

[Lower West]

Your squad omits HRK though. Is that deliberate?

Edit: oh no, there he is.

HRK is looking increasingly like the weak link. As offers no pace and not enough goals.

[Lacoste]

Reading are hoping to wrap up moves for at least two players on deadline day.

The club are working hard to push through a foreign deal, which getreading.co.uk believes to be for Benfica winger Ola John.

The 23-year-old Netherlands international moved to Portugal in 2012, joining from FC Twente for a fee of around £10 million.

But he has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot at the Estádio da Luz and he spent part of the 2013/14 season on loan with German side Hamburg.

John returned to Benfica last season and made 28 league appearances, scoring three goals. He also bagged the winner in the league cup final success against Maritimo.

But despite that, the Portuguese champions are still wiling to let the attacker leave and Royals are hopeful of concluding a loan deal before this evening’s 6pm deadline.

Steve Clarke is also keen to add a new frontman to his squad today, with Bournemouth’s South Africa international Tokelo Rantie on the radar.

The 24-year-old joined the Cherries in 2013 but currently finds himself down the pecking order at the Goldsands due to the superb form of Callum Wilson.


Tokelo Rantie charges at the Cardiff City defence Bournemouth's Tokelo Rantie is a target for Reading.

It is understood Reading are pursuing a possible one-year loan for Rantie, who cost Bournemouth around £2.5m two years ago.

But Clarke, who completed the signing of Chelsea star Lucas Piazon yesterday, is also keeping a watchful eye on Matej Vydra’s situation at Watford.

The Czech frontman could be allowed to leave Vicarage Road today, with the Hornets set to announce the signing of Victor Ibarbo from Roma.

Should Vydra, who Clarke worked with at West Brom, become available, Royals could launch a bid to bring him to Madejski Stadium for the season.

But they will face stiff competition for the frontman, who has yet to feature for Watford in the Premier League under Quique Sánchez Flores, with Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Fulham all said to be keen.

Reading also have an interest in Walsall forward Tom Bradshaw, who has scored 25 times in his last 44 appearances, although the 23-year-old is expected to remain with the Saddlers.


Fcuking loan signings, what happened to the money we were prepared to spend on Beric?

[From Despair To Where?]

When you hear reports of Wednesday offering £10m for McCormick, it makes our outlay of circa £2m on 9 first team players (plus Semedo and Liburd) look extraordinary.

It makes Wednesday look barking mad, just as Fulham did, and Blackburn before them for Rhodes.

Oh, I agree entirely and a lot of the proposed bids smack of desperation. We, on the other hand have got our core business in early, picking up Sa, Quinn, McShane, Bond and Al Habsi in the first week of July for little over £1m. Every one else has been the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake. Our scouting seems to be working well and we are working our contacts to the max. Pound for pound we have done absolutely fantastic business. Plus, we've shifted a lot of high earners off the books so our wage bill has gone down whilst the quality, balance and strength in depth of the squad has improved.

Fcuking loan signings, what happened to the money we were prepared to spend on Beric?

Nothing wrong with the loan signings from where I'm sitting. Taylor is decent cover, Fernandes is with a view to a permanent move and Piazon and (possibly) John are way beyond the quality of player we would be in the market for. Looking at Vydra's asking price, he doesn't offer value as a permanent deal. The Rantie deal does seem strange though. He's clearly got no future at Bournemouth and going for a loan deal suggests we're not entirely convinced and are looking to try before you buy.

We don't have to spend the Beric money before 6pm tonight. It will still be there in January, should we need it.

[floyd__streete]

For those of you wetting yourselves over Piazon.....I am genuinely fascinated and impressed that you find the time in your lives to follow English and Brazilian Under 21 football so closely, never mind La Liga, Eredivisie, Bundesliga. I'd never heard of the fella tbh.

[tidus_mi2]

For those of you wetting yourselves over Piazon.....I am genuinely fascinated and impressed that you find the time in your lives to follow English and Brazilian Under 21 football so closely, never mind La Liga, Eredivisie, Bundesliga. I'd never heard of the fella tbh.

I theorised yesterday that people are only hyping this kid up because he's Brazilian, if it had been English starlet John Smith, I suspect people would be a little less over-awed.

[floyd__streete]

I theorised yesterday that people are only hyping this kid up because he's Brazilian, if it had been English starlet John Smith, I suspect people would be a little less over-awed.

I quite agree.

[peterclarke23]

Rantie would be an excellent signing. Better than Cox.

[NewCorkSeth]

For those of you wetting yourselves over Piazon.....I am genuinely fascinated and impressed that you find the time in your lives to follow English and Brazilian Under 21 football so closely, never mind La Liga, Eredivisie, Bundesliga. I'd never heard of the fella tbh.

I theorised yesterday that people are only hyping this kid up because he's Brazilian, if it had been English starlet John Smith, I suspect people would be a little less over-awed.

We're signing john smith???!!??!

[From Despair To Where?]

Rantie would be an excellent signing. Better than Cox.

I see what you're doing here. Managing expectation.

[tidus_mi2]

He may be better than Cox but where will we without the innuendos?

Unless a player can be convinced to change his name to Richard Hardon.

[bobby1413]

All these signings and loans are great, but I'm now losing track of who we have on our books... will have to wait till the window closes and have a proper look again

[andrew1957]

Initially I thought 4M for Hector sounded like poor business but on reflection this might be a genius move by the club/Clarke, It looks like Hector will be loaned back for the season and so Chelsea are bank rolling us getting Vydra for the season (2M loan fee?) and John.

Yes it is a gamble but this then looks like a squad that should be nailed on top 6 at the end of the season. Frankly it will be by far the best ever squad assembled by RFC.

Genuinely excited now and have even just wagered £10 at 25/1 that we win the league plus £40 at 3/1 that we finish top 6.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Initially I thought 4M for Hector sounded like poor business but on reflection this might be a genius move by the club/Clarke, It looks like Hector will be loaned back for the season and so Chelsea are bank rolling us getting Vydra for the season (2M loan fee?) and John.

Yes it is a gamble but this then looks like a squad that should be nailed on top 6 at the end of the season. Frankly it will be by far the best ever squad assembled by RFC.

Genuinely excited now and have even just wagered £10 at 25/1 that we win the league plus £40 at 3/1 that we finish top 6.

Was looking at doing same, also worth promotion bet about 8 to 1 I think, then can win on all three and top six gets money back

Who did you go with?

[andrew1957]

Initially I thought 4M for Hector sounded like poor business but on reflection this might be a genius move by the club/Clarke, It looks like Hector will be loaned back for the season and so Chelsea are bank rolling us getting Vydra for the season (2M loan fee?) and John.

Yes it is a gamble but this then looks like a squad that should be nailed on top 6 at the end of the season. Frankly it will be by far the best ever squad assembled by RFC.

Genuinely excited now and have even just wagered £10 at 25/1 that we win the league plus £40 at 3/1 that we finish top 6.

Was looking at doing same, also worth promotion bet about 8 to 1 I think, then can win on all three and top six gets money back

Who did you go with?

I only have a Coral account as I don't really gamble much and don't have the time to shop around. There are probably better odds out there. Tend to agree that a promotion bet is a good one too but the play offs are a lottery if we don't make top 2 - which is why I opted for top 6 instead.