Tom Holmes is set to sign a new contract with Reading in what is a major boost for Paul Ince ahead of the new season.

The 22-year-old featured in 31 games for the Royals last season as they managed to avoid relegation to League One but with his deal expiring in the summer there were doubts about the future of the defender, who has previously attracted attention from Nottingham Forest.

However, Football Insider have revealed that Reading have made a breakthrough with the academy graduate, who is set to put pen to paper on fresh terms that will see him stay with the club for the years to come.

After establishing himself as a regular in the past two years, Holmes will hope to continue to be an important figure moving forward.

It's expected to be a tough summer for the Royals as they look to improve following their difficult campaign last time out. Ince is not expected to have much backing in the market due to the financial situation the Berkshire outfit are in.

The verdict

This is very good news for Reading as Holmes has proven himself to be a good player at this level and he still has time on his side in terms of improving and fulfilling his potential.

Of course, their situation means it's going to be hard to bring quality new additions in, so it's vital they keep as much of the squad they've got as possible.

For Holmes, it's about kicking on now and he will be delighted to have his future sorted at a club that clearly means a lot to him.

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