My Reading FC transfer deadline day dream involves player's Derby County snub | OneFootball

With Sam Smith on his way out, retaining Harvey Knibbs could prove to be crucial for the Royals.

Reading are set to sell their first key player of the January transfer window, with Sam Smith on the verge of moving to Wrexham.

This is according to Alex Crook, who believes the Dragons are set to secure a £2m deal to lure him away from the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

That isn't ideal for the Royals, who don't have a huge amount of squad depth in any position, apart from their goalkeeping department.

The Berkshire side have done a remarkable job this season, all things considered, with the team currently sitting in midtable and just a small number of points from all but confirming safety.

But off-field issues have continued to have an impact, with their inability to make many signings arguably leading to their slide down to the League One table.

It remains to be seen whether they will be able to recruit a replacement for Smith, but even if they do, they won't have enough depth in many areas.

Andre Garcia has also been linked with a move away, with Southampton reportedly taking an interest, and fans may be a little concerned about the possibility of a couple more players leaving before the deadline on Monday.

Harvey Knibbs has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for the Royals since his arrival in the summer of 2023.

Starting out on the left in a 4-2-2-2 system, he struggled initially and was criticised for not being effective enough.

But following Ruben Selles' switch to 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1, he came alive, like many players did.

Not only did he score a hat-trick against rivals Swindon Town to endear himself to the fans, but he was also able to register a brace in a confidence-boosting 5-1 victory against Carlisle United in November 2023.

Continuing to shine in a more central position throughout the 2023/24 campaign, he performed well consistently and didn't relax until after the final day of the season, with the player scoring the Royals' penultimate goal of the campaign against Blackpool.

The attacking midfielder has continued to thrive this term, even though he spent part of the early stages of the season on the sidelines with an injury.

Scoring an equaliser against Huddersfield Town, which proved to be a turning point in that game, he also rescued a point against Stevenage late on after connecting with Chem Campbell's cross.

Perhaps his most enjoyable game of the season, as an ex-Cambridge United player, came away at Peterborough United.

Knibbs registered a brace at the Weston Homes Stadium - and also scored twice at Cambridge on New Year's Day.

Registering 10 goals and two assists in 28 competitive appearances this season, it would be a massive blow for the Royals if they lost him before Monday's deadline, so they will be desperate to retain him.

Eiran Cashin news may concern Reading FC supporters

A number of clubs have been linked with a move for Knibbs, including Derby County and Oxford United.

Oxford could be a good destination for the midfielder, but the U's are the Royals' rivals and he may be reluctant to make the move to the Kassam Stadium because of this.

The Rams could benefit from having some extra firepower at their disposal in their battle against relegation, even with Lars-Jorgen Salvesen already coming in.

And Knibbs could prove to be a very shrewd addition at Pride Park, with the player only likely to get better, considering he's only 25 at this stage.

Derby have been the club most heavily linked with him on social media and the Royals' fanbase may be concerned to know that Derby have accepted a bid for Eiran Cashin.

This could allow the Rams to offer a decent amount for Knibbs, which could persuade owner Dai Yongge and CEO Dayong Pang to let go of him.