Reading FC are set for an interesting summer transfer window ahead, with the Royals looking to clear out some of the 'deadwood' at the Madejski Stadium. 

The Berkshire-based side are currently sat seventh in the Championship table, and are five points adrift of sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth heading into their final five matches of this year's campaign.

It's been a frustrating second-half of the 2020/21 season for the Madejski Stadium faithful, with Veljko Paunovic's side dropping points at a crucial stage of the campaign, which has seen them fall out of the top-six for the first time in a number of months.

They'll be eager to put together a positive run of results at the earliest of opportunities, starting on Friday evening, when they host Cardiff City.

A number of players are out-of-contract at the end of the season, whilst others might be tempted by a move elsewhere heading into the new season.

We take a look at TWO Reading FC players who you'd imagine will want to leave the Madejski Stadium this summer for a new adventure.

Find out who they are, below...

Sam Smith 

Smith has come through the Reading academy teams, and has gone on to make 11 appearances in total for the Berkshire-based side.

But the forward has found regular game time with the Reading first-team hard to come by in recent seasons, with Smith being sent out on loan to a number of different clubs in the EFL.

He is currently out on loan with League Two promotion-chasers Cheltenham Town, and has scored three goals in 15 appearances for them, as they target promotion into the third-tier of English football.

Smith is out-of-contract at the end of this year's campaign, and is highly unlikely to be able to force his way into Veljko Paunovic's side anytime soon, so a move elsewhere is likely to tempt the 23-year-old.

 

 

Luke Southwood 

Southwood is another player that is out-of-contract at the end of this year's campaign, and you couldn't blame the goalkeeper if he had his mind set on a move elsewhere.

Southwood has made just three appearances in total for the Reading first-team and has spent much of the 2020/21 season behind Rafael in the pecking order at the Madejski Stadium.

The 23-year-old has been out on loan with the likes of Eastleigh and Hamilton Academical earlier in his career, and if he was to move elsewhere in search of regular game time.