Romanian winger Adrian Popa has left Reading to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Taawoun, on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Having signed a three-and-a-half year contract at the Mad Stad just 12 months ago, the 29-year-old has started on a mere nine occasions for the first-team and leaves having scored one goal - away to Sheffield Wednesday last year - although no doubt he still claims the own goal opener against Aston Villa from September.
As Popa heads off to Saudi Arabia, we’re left to ponder if he did get the chance he perhaps deserved at Reading.
There is no shortage of excellent highlights of his time in Berkshire but sadly his high tally of wonder goals for the Under-23s didn’t cross over into Championship reality. Furthermore, the club is overly stocked with wingers at this moment and his pathway has been blocked by Roy Beerens, Garath McCleary et al. with little reason for those two to be dropped from a play-off final quality side in 2016/17.
Alas, he still has plenty of time to run on his contract so don’t fully count on this being the last we’ve heard of Adrian Popa.