Reading FC Confirm Quinn and Mendes Exit, Jaakkola Offered New Deal

Anssi Jaakkola is the only out of contract first-team player at Reading to be offered a new deal by the club, who have confirmed the departures of Joseph Mendes, Stephen Quinn, Jonathan Bond and Deniss Rakels.

Along with an extension for the Finnish shot-stopper, the Royals taking up a pre-existing one-year option on his contract, young goalkeepers Luke Southwood and Lewis Ward have been offered the chance to stay. The pair have been on loan for the season just gone, Southwood earning many accolades for his stint at Bath City with Ward part of Aldershot’s National League play-off reaching side.

Professional deals have also been accepted by academy attacking midfielder Moroyin Omolabi and England youth international Jack Nolan, as well as Cameron Green and Jazz Wallace. Offers for Akinwale Odimayo, Jamal Balogun and Andre Burley were all confirmed on Friday.

We’ll Always Have Villa

This announcement also signals the exit of some of the Royals’ more hopeful transfer market punts of recent years. With just six starts and three goals to his name, Mendes departs along with Rakels, who never played for the club again after breaking his ankle in August 2016. The Latvian also only managed three league goals throughout his time in Berkshire.

The perenially injured Quinn is perhaps not a surprise departure and despite a positive loan spell at Peterbrough, goalkeeper Bond is also moved on, most likely to make space for the aforementioned academy players.

Also leaving Reading are youngsters Conor Davis, Jake Sheppard, Gabriel Rosario, Kosta Sparta, Harry Philby, Jack Buchanan, Leon Okuboyejo and Joseph Wilson.