Lewis Wing starts: The ideal Reading FC starting XI v Birmingham City on August 10th | OneFootball

With their ownership situation in mind, the Royals may not have many new faces in the starting lineup at St Andrew's.

Reading aren't in the best situation at this stage, with a takeover deal yet to be completed.

Unfortunately for them, they also face a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign, which isn't ideal for a club that may not be well-prepared for the new season.

Birmingham City are their opponents - and the Midlands club will be hoping to secure a Championship return at the first time of asking - something that's very possible considering the commitment of their owner Tom Wagner.

They will need to spend their money on the right players if they are to maximise their chances of promotion though - and considering the fact they need to make quite a few new signings before the season starts - it may take them a while to gel.

That could present an opportunity to the Berkshire outfit as they look to make a positive start to the season, but they will still be the underdogs at St Andrew's.

Ahead of their clash in front of the Sky Sports cameras on matchday one, we take a look at an ideal starting lineup for the Royals.

GK: Joel Pereira

Pereira did make a couple of mistakes when he came in to replace David Button, most notably on the final day against Blackpool.

However, the shot-stopper is a clear upgrade on Button and made some remarkable saves during the latter stages of the 2023/24 campaign, making him a suitable candidate to be the Royals' first-choice option between the sticks.

In the long term, the Berkshire side may want to find an alternative but if Pereira can continue to do well next season, it would be a surprise if he doesn't retain his place.

Coniah Boyce-Clarke and Jokull Andresson are available as alternative options to Pereira and Button, but both could probably benefit from loan spells, especially Jamaica international Boyce-Clarke.

LB: Saxon Earley (loan)

Earley's progression at Plymouth Argyle has been heavily disrupted by injury troubles and with this in mind, signing him could be viewed as a risk.

However, Ben Elliott and Tivonge Rushesha suffered major injuries before joining the Royals and both managed to stay fit during the 2023/24 campaign.

It could be argued that both didn't win that much game time and that's a reason why they didn't pick up an injury, but Elliott was one of the first names on the teamsheet during the latter stages of last term.

Earley could be a better attacking option than Jeriel Dorsett, who is a capable left-back option who can also operate in central defence.

CB: Tyler Bindon

New Zealand international Bindon enjoyed an excellent first campaign at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - and it would be a surprise if he doesn't start on the opening day of the season.

The central defender will only get better considering his age and this is why manager Ruben Selles should be looking to give him as much game time as possible.

A lot of fans have compared him to club legend Ivar Ingimarsson, reinforcing just how much of a talent he is.

Able to win ground duels and dominate in the air, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's poached by another team sooner rather than later, and the Royals need to get him tied down to fresh terms.

CB: Amadou Mbengue

Mbengue has proved to be another great find, with the centre-back thriving alongside Bindon when the two formed a partnership in defence.

He may have started the campaign at right-back, doing well there at times, but he did well centrally and it would be foolish not to start him in central defence if he's in the first 11 on the opening day of the campaign.

With Andy Yiadom and Kelvin Abrefa contenders to start on the right-hand side, following the latter's decision to sign a new deal last week, it's unlikely that Mbengue will be needed as a full-back anytime soon unless there's an injury crisis.

The latter is another young player who will only improve, so having Bindon and Mbengue as a centre-back pairing throughout the 2024/25 campaign (if both stay at the SCL Stadium) would be a good outcome for the Royals if they can perform as well as they did for parts of last term.

RB: Andy Yiadom

Ghanaian Yiadom will face competition from Abrefa for a place on the right-hand side - and it wouldn't be a shock if the latter wins a lot more minutes than he did last term.

However, the skipper will probably be the starter on the opening day, with his experience potentially set to pay dividends.

He was crucial in the Royals' second goal in a 2-1 win at St Andrew's during the 2021/22 campaign - and he will be hoping to have a similar impact next month.

CDM: Lewis Wing

Wing is one of the Royals' most important players, with the midfielder's ability to influence and dictate a game likely to be crucial for his team if he stays.

With the experience he has, the midfielder could be a valuable player to have both on and off the pitch next term, especially if the Berkshire side's ownership issues continue.

He will be hoping that a takeover materialises soon and if it does, it could play a crucial role in keeping him in Berkshire.

CM: Harvey Knibbs

Midfielder Knibbs was another crucial player during the 2023/24 campaign, with his goalscoring contributions helping the Royals to remain afloat in the division.

Registering 16 goals and six assists in all competitions last term, his move to a more central role proved to be a game-changer for him.

He struggled on the left, but has done well as an attacking midfielder.

CM: Ben Elliott

Elliott is clearly a player who has a high amount of potential and he did well during the latter stages of the previous campaign.

However, he needs to match these good performances with goalscoring contributions to give him the best chance of retaining a starting spot.

Next season could be crucial for the ex-Chelsea man - and he needs to take any starting opportunities with both hands.

LW: Nicky Cadden

Cadden remains a free agent following the expiration of his contract at Barnsley - and it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Royals to submit an offer to him.

The left-sided player has often operated as a left wing-back, but given more freedom to go forward, he could be a real asset in the final third.

If Earley pushes forward, Cadden could be a defensive asset if an opponent hits the Royals on the counter, so a deal to sign the latter would make sense.

RW: Femi Azeez

Azeez didn't perform brilliantly during the opening months of 2023/24, but he managed to bounce back from that and repay the faith that Selles placed in him.

Going from a villain to a real hero in a short space of time, fans were delighted to find out that the Royals were able to activate a one-year extension option in his contract, keeping him at the club until 2025.

Unless he leaves, the winger looks set to be a key player for the Royals again next term.

ST: Sam Smith

Striker Smith missed the early stages of 2023/24 because of an injury, but he proved to be a real asset when he recovered.

Proving to be a much better player now than when he ended his first spell in Berkshire, he may attract interest from other teams this summer, and that makes it crucial that the takeover situation is sorted as quickly as possible.

It's clear that he needs more competition for a starting spot, but even without it, he has done well.