Millwall news should persuade Sunderland to sanction Reading FC loan move: View | OneFootball

The Black Cats should be prepared to let Jewison Bennette head to Berkshire, following the news that Femi Azeez is on the move.

Reading FC have lined up a loan switch for Sunderland winger Jewison Bennette.

This is according to The Tilehurst End, who have seemingly listed one of the players that the Royals are pursuing.

Until a takeover is done and dusted, it seems very unlikely that the Berkshire side will bring anyone in, but a sale could be close to being announced now and the recruitment team will have lined up some targets for the club to try and sign before the summer window closes on August 30th.

There are plenty of areas that need to be strengthened too, with their defence looking short of options, both centrally and on the left-hand side.

This lack of depth needs to be addressed before the end of the window if the Royals are to have a real chance of being successful during the 2024/25 campaign.

Further up the pitch, there's also work to be done, with an extra striker probably required and the wing area also needing to be looked at.

The addition of one winger may have been enough before the news of Femi Azeez's imminent departure, but with the 23-year-old set to seal a move to Millwall, two wide players need to be brought in before the window shuts.

With Azeez set to go, that leaves Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Mamadi Camara as the club's only other first-team options at this point out wide.

Adrian Akande and Andre Garcia - the latter being just 16 years of age - can both operate in this area, but the former wasn't that impressive in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy in midweek and the latter may be required at left-back as an option if Jeriel Dorsett is ruled out of action with another injury at some point.

With all of this in mind, as well as the fact the Royals don't have much time left to make additions before the window closes and will be working within tight restrictions, you would back Bennette to feature heavily for the League One club during the 2024/25 campaign if he joins and can stay fit.

The Black Cats' man still has plenty to work on in his quest to become a high-quality player, but he could be lethal in the third tier, and could get fans off their seats at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

If Azeez had stayed in Berkshire, Bennette may have found it difficult to win a starting place, with Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan doing brilliantly on the left wing so far this season and scoring two goals in two league games.

But Bennette could make the right-wing position his own, with Camara slightly less of a threat than Azeez was for much of last term.

Camara is a player who has a high amount of potential, like Bennette, but the latter may fancy himself to start over the Guinea-Bissau international.

This should give the Black Cats the confidence to sanction a loan move to Ruben Selles' side, with the Royals' head coach having a good track record of developing young players.

This can only work in the Costa Rica international's favour if he joins.

Jewison Bennette loan deal could work out for all parties

It seems as though it's now or never for Bennette if he wants to make it at the Stadium of Light - and he would have the opportunity to impress Regis Le Bris if he went out on loan and managed to get more game time.

This game time and a fresh start somewhere else for the season should benefit the wide player, who could gain plenty of confidence and get himself into a rhythm if he gets plenty of game time in Berkshire.

The Black Cats could also benefit from sending him out on loan, knowing that the player is likely to win much more game time at the SCL Stadium than he is on Wearside.

If he comes back a much better player, that can only benefit Le Bris' side, who know that he has a considerable amount of potential but needs the opportunity to show it, having failed to win much game time at his current side.

Bennette could also put himself in the shop window by enjoying a fairly decent season on loan, which could allow the Black Cats to sell him for a high amount next summer.

And the Royals, who are in need of depth out wide, should be able to sign him within their restrictions if/when a takeover deal is sealed and announced, although they may also need to file their accounts before they can make any big moves in the market.