Having experienced a dismal 2018/19 campaign in the Championship, Reading have a huge summer ahead if they are to transform their fortunes.

Yet whereas it is imperative that boss Jose Manuel Gomes brings in a plethora of new additions, one of their primary goals has to be to keep Liam Moore at the club.

According to Reading Chronicle journalist Courtney Friday, Celtic have reportedly cooled their interest in the central defender having been priced out of a move by the Royals.

Although this will undoubtedly be welcome news for many Reading supporters, with more than two months left to go in the transfer window, it is far from guaranteed that Moore will still be at the Madejski Stadium next season.

Keeping this in mind, here are three reasons why we think the Berkshire-based outfit should be doing all they can to keep their most prized asset at the club...

He was one of their only shining lights last season

Although Reading slumped to a 20th place finish in the second tier last month, very little blame can be attached to Moore as he was one of the only players to show any sort of consistency for the club.

A domineering presence in defence, the former Leicester City ace made 41 appearances in all competitions and rarely looked fazed for the Royals despite the looming threat of relegation affecting his side.

Whereas it is fair to say that Moore did suffer the occasional blip, losing him this summer could quite easily result in disaster for Reading in the upcoming campaign if last season's form is anything to go by.

They may not be able to find a sufficient replacement

Handed the captaincy by Gomes last August, Moore has grown into this particular role by demonstrating fantastic leadership skills for the Royals over the past 10 months and so it is crucial that his club do not give in to the temptation to sell him to the highest bidder.

Although doing this would give them some funds to invest in a new defender, it is very unlikely that they will be able to bring in a sufficient replacement given the current state of the transfer market in which quality players command huge fees.

He is a player that they should be looking to build a team around

With it now being 11 years since Reading played in the Premier League, it is fair to say that the club are now at somewhat of a crossroads in terms of their future.

Whereas the Royals' supporters are desperate to get back to the top-flight, they may not be able to if their owners are not willing to spend during the upcoming transfer window.

Yet even if they do provide sufficient funds for Gomes, it is paramount that he builds a team around Moore instead of selling him as by doing so, the defender will have the best chance of fulfilling his potential in the future which in turn will give Reading the best chance of progressing as a club.