Reading are considering their former defender Graeme Murty as their potential next manager to replace Paul Ince, journalist Alan Nixon has reported.

Murty made 339 appearances for the Royals as a player between 1998 and 2009, helping the club rise from the third-tier to the Premier League.

Having retired in 2010, Murty's only previous senior management job was with Rangers from 2017 to 2018.

The 48-year-old is now currently Head of Professional Development at Reading's Championship rivals Sunderland, although it seems he is starting to attract attention from his old club.

According to this latest update, Murty is now in contention to become Reading manager, if current boss Ince leaves the club, or those in charge decide to make a change.

A 1-0 defeat to Millwall on Saturday means the Royals are currently 16th in the Championship table, 12 points clear of the relegation zone, having lost four of their last five games.

The Verdict

This is an interesting link to consider from a Reading point of view.

Given his previous connections with the club, you do get the feeling that Murty will be a popular figure, if he does return to the Royals as their manager.

However, the fact his spell in charge of Rangers was far from spectacular, and that he has been out of management for some time now, could be something of a cause for concern for Reading.

As a result, you do get the feeling there ought to be a desire to explore other options before commiting to a move for Murty if Ince does move on, with given recent form, is certainly not impossible.