Gyan Deal To Reading Off?

I think we can safely file this one under non-shocker.

According to Get Reading & Tilehurst End Podcast Extra Co-Host Charles Watts, Asamoah Gyan has failed his medical with Reading FC and the deal is off.

'Uh-oh!!!!! Word I'm getting is the Gyan deal is off.

He has not passed his medical as the club believe it will be up to eight weeks before he is deemed fully fit.'

Colour me surprised that a soon to be 31-year-old who's not played at a seriously competitive standard since 2011 should fail a strenuous medical put in place by a Championship club.

The deal had divided Reading fans in recent days, with some calling the move 'the definition of insanity' and others hoping we'd pulled off a savy coup. Whatever your view, it seems like the club have deemed this one a no-go, as an eight week fitness programme would leave Gyan available for around a month before he reports in for duty at the African Cup of Nations.

Let's face it, Reading have been played superbly here by Gyan's agent. Suddenly the footballing world is talking about him again and I wouldn't be surprised if another club scoffs at Reading's eight-week diagnosis and takes a punt on him.

Unless there's a dramatic u-turn we won't be posting the full thoughts on Gyan from our Sunderland chums at Roker Report but here's their opening line that just about sums up the whole scenario.

'His agent has been hawking him all over England in an attempt to get Gyan a move somewhere for the last week or two - he even claimed Sunderland were back in for him, which I am led to believe couldn't be any further from the truth. Still though, it does make me wonder what has gone on in China for his club to happily subsidise his wages so that he can leave.'

As the old saying goes, 'if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.'

The prospect of a fully fit, firing, motivated Gyan at a low cost was indeed a no brainer and the type of signing that as Charles stated yesterday, would add a 'sprinkling of stardust' to the club. Yet once again it's vital to keep our feet on the ground here and look at exactly why such a no-brainer signing would fall to a mid-table Championship side like Reading. Stam or no Stam we're pretty low down the pecking order of attractive looking clubs.

Ultimately it still leaves us looking for a striker and with just over 24 hours to go in the window, the club need to act fast.