Reading have chosen to not offer Achraf Lazaar a contract with the club after taking the left back on trial in pre-season, as per a recent report by the Reading Chronicle.

The Moroccan full back is a free agent at present after leaving Watford earlier in the summer and recently featured for the Royals in their friendlies against Lincoln City, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic.

However it now appears that the 29-year-old will not be staying put at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, with it being revealed that the club are not willing to offer the defender terms.

This follows their decision to also turn down the opportunity to sign former West Bromwich Albion winger Kyle Edwards.

Reading are currently unsure about the nature of the transfer restrictions that have been placed on them by the EFL at present after they breached financial fair play rules.

As a result of this, the Royals are yet to have signed any new players this summer with under two weeks to go until the start of the Sky Bet Championship season.

The Verdict 

It is a shame that Reading have had to turn down the opportunity to sign Edwards and Lazaar but clearly there are plenty of issues behind the scenes which need to be sorted out.

Veljko Paunovic is the man who is stuck in the middle of all this and I really feel for him as the season grows ever closer in Berkshire.

The situation is far from ideal but he will quite simply have to work with what he has for now as the debate over restrictions rumbles on in the background.

It will be intriguing to see how Reading will cope with what is a pretty unique situation that they currently find themselves in, as they appear no nearer to signing any new players.