Reading’s stance emerges regarding immediate future of star man

Reading will listen to offers for star striker Lucas Joao as the summer transfer window nears, as per a report from Berkshire Live. 

The Royals, who eventually finished four points above the Championship drop zone, possess 14 players whose contracts expire next month. 

The club’s difficult financial situation is reported to be a big factor in the stance the Reading are taking regarding the future of the club’s talismanic figure. 

Needing to cut the wage bill from £21 million to £16 million, offloading Joao will be a step in the right direction, in a financial sense.

The 28-year-old has been an important source of goals for the Berkshire outfit, when he has been available to play this season, netting 10 in the Championship in 24 league outings. 

This followed an impressive 2020/21 campaign where he managed 22 goals in 40 second-tier matches. 

The verdict 

It is no surprise that Reading find themselves in this difficult position, with Joao emerging as a key reason for positivity for the Royals during the last few years at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. 

Possessing a great deal of physicality, the towering front man is also a technically gifted forward who has a lot of desirable attributes. 

Joao is unlikely to be short of suitors, given that he has consistently shone as one of the better Championship strikers over the years, and at 28, he still has a few more years of proving that. 

It is unfortunate that Reading are in this position, however, that is the nature of the financial situation they are in and will be targeting a rebuild this summer.

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