Reading are set to go into the 2021/22 season without having made a single signing during the summer, leaving the club looking light in several departments.

Sam Baldock, Sone Aluko, Sam Walker and Tennai Watson were all released by the club in the summer, with Omar Richards opting against signing a new deal in favour of joining former Champions League winners Bayern Munich and Michael Olise departing the Select Car Leasing Stadium to link up with Crystal Palace.

Because of these departures with no one coming the other way due to their EFL-imposed transfer embargo, the Royals have been forced to utilise some of their younger players in pre-season and their hand may be forced once again as they face Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday.

Teenagers Femi Azeez and Ethan Bristow may be given ago - but who else is in the frame to start in Staffordshire?

We take a look at one of the best lineups manager Veljko Paunovic could put out on Saturday afternoon.

The Brazilian goalkeeper was a great asset to the Royals in his first season at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, coming in as a solid option in the summer of 2019 to replace Joao Virginia, who had made several mistakes in his first few games for the club.

However, Rafael made a catalogue of his own errors last season and had a very mixed year during 2020/21. The 31-year-old’s highlight of the season had to be his performance away at Swansea City.

He was outstanding then and with Luke Southwood yet to displace him in goal, he looks to start as the Berkshire side’s number one goalkeeper once again.

Things he needs to work on? Cutting out avoidable errors and ensuring his distribution is the very best it can be. If he can perform like he did in his first season at the club, he could be a vital player to have with the Royals looking to be competing at the wrong end of the table as things stand.

Although Ethan Bristow is a natural option manager Paunovic can utilise, along with fellow teenager Imari Samuels, Tom McIntyre can do a job at left-back and could be a solid option alongside the likes of Liam Moore and Michael Morrison as they look to start the 2021/22 campaign off with a clean sheet.

The Scottish youth international may not be able to offer much going forward, but after the departure of Omar Richards, he’s the best they could hope for right now with no new signings coming in.

People may question his pace but his ability to read the game and his maturity should more than make up for that and as a left-footer, should be more than comfortable at full-back.

In the absence of Richards last season, he has already played at left-back in a selection of games but until a new signing comes in to replace him, the 22-year-old may find himself playing more than just a ‘selection’ of matches in this new position.

Although his natural position is at centre-back, the presence of Liam Moore, Michael Morrison and Tom Holmes in the heart of defence will make it a hard task for him to get in the starting lineup otherwise.

The captain has just returned from the Gold Cup with Jamaica - but was in action for the Royals in their pre-season friendly against Crystal Palace last weekend and is set to be a regular starter for Reading against this season.

After signing a new five-year deal at the club in 2018, he’s one of only a few first-teamers who will still be in Berkshire next summer as things stand, with previous Premier League interest from the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion disintegrating in recent years.

His leadership skills will be a big asset both on and off the pitch once again during the 2021/22 campaign, especially with the increased number of younger players in and around the first-team squad.

This ability to lead makes it vital he starts again on Saturday and beyond - but needs to ensure he maintains his performance levels even after his international tournament with Jamaica in the summer.

And he can’t afford to rest on his either, with Tom Holmes gaining a decent amount of Championship experience under his belt last term and ready to come in whenever he’s needed.

The former Birmingham City captain has been unbelievable for the Royals since his arrival from the Blues back in 2019.

The 33-year-old signed a two-year deal when he joined the club and after being such a consistent player at the back for the last couple of seasons, he was handed a new one-year contract this summer to extend his stay at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

His leadership in the occasional absence of Liam Moore has been important and even in his thirties, has managed to keep himself in remarkable condition and stay fit for the majority of his time in Berkshire.

Although it’s currently unclear whether Morrison will continue his playing career at Reading beyond the end of the upcoming season, they will be grateful to have a reliable figure like the former Birmingham City skipper in their starting lineup.

Yiadom missed a good chunk of last season through injury and with his understudy Felipe Araruna missing the rest of last season after picking up an injury away at Cardiff City, it just went on to show how much the Royals missed the Ghanaian’s ability to both defend and attack.

Although natural central defender Tom Holmes did an adequate job defensively in place of Yiadom and Araruna, he didn’t prove to be much of a threat down the right-hand side and that’s something that returned when the former managed to shake off his injury worries.

His contract, like many others, runs out next summer so this is something they will need to address if they want to avoid losing him for free in less than 12 months.

With his all-round ability, the Royals should be aiming to tie the 29-year-old to a new deal without any hesitation - but with their current transfer embargo and the amount of money he’s likely to be on after joining during the Ron Gourlay era - it’s currently unclear whether they will be able to offer him a new contract that’s anything like his current one.

The former Shrewsbury Town midfielder has been sensational for the Royals since he arrived from Shropshire last July - and is set to play a key role for Veljko Paunovic’s side again this term.

He managed to fit into the first-team squad so seamlessly at the start of the 2020/21 season despite the step up from League One and the change of manager right at the start of the campaign.

Not only did he bring maturity to the first team in adapting so well in difficult circumstances, but also defensive solidity, pace and power in the middle of the park and the ability to carry the ball upfield.

Because of these performances, it was a surprise when he put in a 5/10 display and that rarely happened with the 26-year-old impressing throughout his first campaign in the second tier.

Josh Laurent wouldn’t have performed so well in midfield last season without the presence of Andy Rinomhota, who really is Mr Consistent.

He made just one costly mistake in 42 Championship appearances last year - and that just sums up what he’s been like for the Royals for the past couple of seasons.

The academy graduate has been magnificent when needed and although Josh Laurent’s debut second-tier season has overshadowed his solid performances in the middle of the park once again, his importance in the team hasn’t been diminished.

The midfield duo are vital in providing a protective shield in front of the Royals’ defence and like his midfield partner, Rinomhota has a great habit of driving his team up the pitch.

He may have played on the right at times last season, but he’s wasted out there. His best position is undoubtedly in the centre - and that’s where Paunovic needs to continue playing him unless injuries/suspensions force the Serbian’s hand.

Like Yiadom, John Swift spent a sizeable proportion of the last year out injured.

But when he’s fit and on top form, he can be a game-changer for the Championship outfit and has proven that many times since he first arrived at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in 2016.

Keeping him fit will be key - but with their current lack of squad depth and the league season likely to be as physically demanding as ever - this is easier said than done.

His range of passing and set-piece deliveries could make a huge difference to Reading and where they end up at the end of the season though, so it will be their job to wrap him up in cotton wool wherever possible and squeeze everything they can out of him in the next campaign.

This is the final year of his contract after all, so his next season in Berkshire could potentially be his last.

The tricky wide man, who often likes to cut in and make things happen in the middle, could be a key source of creativity for the Royals with Swift next season after the departure of Michael Olise.

The Frenchman’s move to Crystal Palace has made it essential Ejaria steps up to the plate over the next 12 months, with the former Liverpool man going missing at times during the 2020/21 campaign.

The 23-year-old does seem like a 'confidence player' though and if he can make a decent start against Stoke City at the weekend, it could be the beginning of a very bright chapter for Ejaria at Reading.

He’s showcased his range of skills multiple times before but needs to transform this into goals, clear-cut chances. Substance over style would be the preference if Reading fans had to pick one or the other - but they will be hoping he can provide both this term as they return to full capacity matches.

Azeez has been one of Reading’s bright sparks this pre-season but if they had the Championship side had the freedom to make the signings they wanted to, the academy graduate would probably be on the bench or the fringes of the first team, not a regular starter.

Yakou Meite’s anterior cruciate ligament injury hasn’t helped - but they had very little depth on the wing as it was even before Sone Aluko was released in the summer.

And with Kyle Edwards being let go amid their current embargo situation and new trialist Kadeem Harris likely to be in a similar situation until the EFL give the Berkshire side the green light to make transfers, Azeez is likely to start regularly if the Royals adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation.

A possible 5-2-1-2 formation with no wingers may force him out of the starting 11, but he’s still likely to be in and around the first team for the rest of the season as things stand and might be valuable as a wide option going forward over the next year.

Joao scored 19 goals in 39 Championship appearances last season, an impressive total considering how much he went off the boil in the latter stages of the campaign.

When the Portuguese forward was on the top of his game though, he was almost unplayable and Reading fans will be hoping for a return to that form at the start of his campaign.

The 27-year-old scored on the opening day of last season against Derby County and played a big part in the second as he held the ball up well before laying it off to Ejaria.

That game summed up what he can do - and he will be hoping to have put in a similar shift on Saturday to start on the right foot.

George Puscas is another player who could potentially start in his place - but Joao is a better option to have up top if Veljko Paunovic goes with one striker.

Considering this is what the Serbian has been doing all pre-season, it would be a surprise to see a change in formation now.