Championship side Reading are preparing to head into what looks set to be an uncertain summer with many key players out of contract and their previous loanees heading back to their respective parent clubs.

These factors may leave the Royals with huge gaps to fill between now and the start of the 2022/23 campaign - and they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last summer when they didn't make a single signing before the start of the term.

Although they have a business plan to abide by during 2022/23, this plan has given them clear guidelines to work within and that should have given the club plenty of time to prepare for what could be a crucial few months.

 

 

Finishing 21st this term, they will be wary that next season will be just as difficult if they fail to have a productive summer and this is why they will need to make good decisions if the club is to remain afloat in their current division for the long term.

This means quite a few additions will need to be recruited, though they may need to call on some of their younger players like Cardiff City have in recent times to step up to the plate and provide depth in some areas.

With this in mind, we have selected two players at the Select Car Leasing Stadium that you should be looking out for next season.

Kelvin Abrefa

The Italian-born defender previously seemed to find himself behind Tyrell Ashcroft in the pecking order earlier in the season with the latter coming in for Andy Yiadom who was at the African Cup of Nations with Ghana throughout January.

However, Abrefa has boosted his first-team chances recently, making his senior debut in February before making two further appearances in the Royals' final two games of the campaign.

Not disgracing himself during either appearance and looking particularly promising in the latter tie against Luton Town, it will be interesting to see if he can force his way into the first team more often in the next couple of years.

According to Berkshire Live, his side are on the verge of tying Yiadom down to fresh terms and because the Ghanaian is so experienced at this level, he is likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

With the 30-year-old proving to be such a reliable option at this level and other areas to address though, Abrefa could move up to number two in the pecking order at right-back with Felipe Araruna expected to be released on the expiration of his contract in Berkshire this summer.

If they do fail to recruit in this area, one injury to Yiadom could make him a starter in the second tier at just 18. Impressing in the Royals' youth system and at a senior level, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him shine in the next 12 months.

Dejan Tetek

As things stand, the Royals will have very few options in central midfield with Danny Drinkwater and Tom Dele-Bashiru returning to their respective parent clubs and Andy Rinomhota and Josh Laurent out of contract in under two months.

Tom McIntyre has established himself as a midfield option which could help to provide depth in this area - but they will need to make quite a few additions if they are to have the depth needed to be a force in the second tier.

Even if they do manage to recruit adequately, a couple of injuries can be a game-changer as the past couple of seasons have shown so there's definitely the opportunity for the Serbian to force his way into the first team on a regular basis.

The 19-year-old has also shown his versatility over the past 12 months, operating at full-back on a few occasions and although that isn't his best position, he can fill in there if needed.

He's definitely another play to keep an eye on because he will only get better with more game time under his belt considering his lack of experience and age. And it will be interesting to see if he can beat the total of 10 league appearances he made during the 2021/22 campaign next season.