Reading FC Transfer Deadline Day Preview

What's happened so far?

Reading released a host of players as last season ended including club captain Jobi McAnuff and Mikele Leigertwood, while top scorer Adam Le Fondre also moved on to Cardiff. Sean Morrison then joined Le Fondre in South Wales a few weeks ago, before goalkeeper Alex McCarthy moved to QPR late last week.

With the club's takeover saga all but at an end, Nigel Adkins was allowed to bring in some replacements as Simon Cox made a return to the Madejski Stadium from Nottingham Forest swiftly followed by Jamie Mackie on a season-long loan. Defender Anton Ferdinand was also added on a free transfer before the club spent a reported seven-figure sum on bringing Huddersfield midfielder Oliver Norwood to Berkshire.

What does Nigel Adkins need to do?

This is a tricky question because of the size of the injury list at the Madejski Stadium. If you looked at the squad at Middlesbrough this past weekend you'd be hard pressed to find a position we didn't need reinforcing but with almost an entire team or recognised Championship performers in the treatment room, it's unlikely we'll be signing too many on a permanent basis.

With that being said, Adkins has said he's confident of adding to his squad and after seeing similar predictions fall flat last season, it's unlikely he'd want to look as stupid again....

As for what positions need bolstering, well when discussing this very topic on both the main and extra editions of The Tilehurst End Podcast, Charles Watts, myself, Westy and Jonny all saw a striker as being a main area that Adkins would be looking to strengthen. Aside from Pavel Pogrebnyak there's still not really a recognised out and out striker at the club and while the likes of Blackman, Cox and Mackie can all do a job there, Nigel has built his previous promotion winning sides on having that central 20+ goals a season striker.

Names in the frame have included Gary Hooper, Glen Murray and Cedric Bakumbu but none of those are rumoured to be close at this stage.

Elsewhere and a left-footed full-back would be welcome, either to back-up Jordan Obita or to allow last season's Player of the Year to move further forward.

With Stuart Taylor and Alex McCarthy both having gone it wouldn't stun me to see the club add a senior keeper to act as third choice while things still look a little bit thin at centre back with Ferdinand's fitness not yet proven and only Academy products to back-up Alex Pearce and Michael Hector.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the loan window will re-open a week on Monday so that will allow Reading to bring in players and let them go for up to three months. Likewise the club will still be allowed to sign free agents, so another Chris Baird type of signing is a possibility.

Who might leave?

With so many injuries it's hard to see many being allowed to leave on a permanent basis. One name that's been mentioned is Hope Akpan but otherwise I imagine the only movement could be with some younger players being allowed out on loan.

Of course that could all change in an instant depending on who's brought in but for now it would be very surprising to see many depart. With that being said, could a Premier League club come in with a massive offer for a player like  Obita? Possibly but it would take something rather special to prise him away from the club.

So that's just a little preview to set you up for today's shenanigans. We'll be doing our very best to keep you right up to date here on The Tilehurst End.