Yakou Meite sends five-word message to Reading FC supporters after 2021/22 conclusion

Reading finished 21st in the Championship this season, not affected by the six point deduction they suffered, and have a lot to contemplate ahead of a potentially difficult summer transfer window at the club.

The Royals have a whole host of senior players edging towards the end of their contracts and are yet to decide on a manager to lead them into 2022/23.

Reading will have financial constraints placed on how they can operate in the summer, and with only seven senior players, including Dejan Tetek, contracted beyond 2021/22, there is a lot of work to be done to assemble a squad capable of staying up next season.

Yakou Meite is one of those players and the 26-year-old has been an excellent second tier forward in recent years, but, due to injury, the Ivorian only made three league starts in the campaign.

Meite took to Instagram to look ahead after the Royals’ season came to an end.

He wrote: “See you all next season.”

A post shared by Yakou Meïté 19 (@yaks75)

If the Royals can have a successful season and keep Meite and Lucas Joao fit for the vast majority of the 2022/23 season, they have a great chance of staying in the division.

The Verdict

Depending on summer transfer business, Bristol City and Birmingham City, along with Reading, look like clubs heading towards difficult 2022/23 campaigns, and if the Royals can avoid another points deduction, they have the individual quality to trump the duo.

Rotherham United and Wigan Athletic look well set to give the second tier a good crack next season, with the Millers, in particular, knowing exactly what they are up against under Paul Warne.

Wycombe Wanderers winning promotion over Sunderland in the third tier play-off final would be far less menacing for a club like Reading