Reading fans will have been delighted just to stay in League One last season as they avoided the drop despite a poor first half of the campaign, which was reflective of the behind the scenes chaos that was ensuing under Dai Yongge.
The promising flashes the Royals have shown in 2024 however were reinforced on the opening day of the current League One season, when they secured a 1-1 draw against title favourites Birmingham City.
One man who was missing for the first game was Femi Azeez, who couldn’t play due to an apparent back injury.
A larger concern, though, will be the impending interest surrounding him, with several Championship clubs keeping a keen eye on the winger.
Stoke City are reported to have recently submitted a bid, which has since been rejected. In early July however, a report from the Reading Chronicle claimed that Millwall had also been rebuffed by Ruben Selles’ side, with Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle being another keen party, as per Darren Witcoop.
This will be a real worry for Royals fans, who will be desperate for the 23-year-old to stay. However, Azeez’s current contract is set to expire in just under 12 months’ time, and Reading will be keen to avoid the prospect of losing his services without any compensation.
Time will tell as to whether Azeez stays or goes, but given Reading’s current circumstances, they can’t afford to lose any of their heavy hitters on the cheap.
Last season was a true breakout year for Azeez, who had previously made just 31 appearances for the Royals.
Across 51 games in all competitions in 2023-24, the left-footed attacker managed to find the back of the net nine times, and he matched that with the same number of assists.
But, looking past that, his 51 successful dribbles, 71 chances created, and 188 touches in the opposition box paint a picture of a player who can return these sorts of numbers on a consistent basis – especially in a potentially even more creative side.
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