Opinion: A few conditions must be met if Reading FC are to pursue agreement for 27-y/o amid Middlesbrough interest

Championship side Reading are interested in pursuing a fresh agreement for Chelsea left-back Baba Rahman, according to a report from Ghanasoccernet.com.

The Royals were in desperate need of a new left-sided player to come in following the departure of Omar Richards to Bayern Munich – and Rahman was their saviour as he secured a move to the Select Car Leasing Stadium last August.

Recording 29 league appearances during a spell that was slightly disrupted by the African Cup of Nations and an injury setback in the latter stages of the season, he endured a mixed spell in Berkshire, getting forward well at times but also displaying defensive vulnerabilities as well.

Whilst many supporters will be pleased about this link, others may be underwhelmed considering he was part of a backline that had the joint-worst defensive record in the second tier during the 2021/22 campaign.

And this is why there needs to be a shake-up in the Royals defence if they are to recruit Rahman again – because freshening things up could enable the Berkshire outfit to have a much more successful campaign next term in terms of the number of goals they concede.

Unfortunately, they will be limited in what they can do in the coming months because they will be working within a tight budget as part of a business plan, so a rebuild at the back probably won’t be possible.

A formation switch could be a game-changer for the Royals though, with a back five potentially enabling Paul Ince’s side to cope better when their backs are against the wall.

Not only could it provide more defensive solidity – but it will also give the likes of Rahman and Yiadom the license to push forward more as wing-backs and considering the former’s defensive vulnerabilities – that could be