Reading FC: January transfer priority is clear after 2023/24 problem re-emerges | OneFootball

The Royals are facing issues on the left wing once again following Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan's severe injury.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan has managed to establish himself as an important wide player for Reading this season.

At the start of last term, he did fairly well alongside Caylan Vickers in a 4-2-2-2 system, grabbing a brace against Stevenage during the early stages of the 2023/24 season.

Unfortunately, aside from Ehibhatiomhan and Vickers, most of the team struggled in this formation and Ruben Selles ended up switching between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-1-4-1 system for much of last term.

This allowed the Royals to secure some positive results, with Harvey Knibbs hugely benefitting from moving into a more central position and the defence also being protected a lot better by the midfield with the extra man in there.

The formation switch ended up limiting Ehibhatiomhan's game time though - and it was only during the latter stages of last season that he was able to shine again - with his contributions from the left wing allowing the Berkshire outfit to pick up extra points in their battle against relegation last term.

Struggling up front on his own at times, he would have been relieved to have made more of an impact on the wing, with his run contributing heavily to the Royals' equaliser at Oxford United.

He was also able to strike against Northampton Town to secure three points for his team - and that gave him a chance to go on and stake his claim for a starting spot out wide this term.

With the Royals selling Femi Azeez and only being able to bring in Chem Campbell during the summer, this allowed the academy graduate to start frequently during the 2024/25 campaign, and he put in a wonderful performance against Wigan Athletic in August.

Setting up Charlie Savage for the opening goal, he then found himself in the right place at the right time to score the Royals' second of the game.

His figures this season may not be that impressive, but he has looked a threat on the left, and it's a real shame that he looks set to spend a lengthy amount of time on the sidelines.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan set to spend months out injured

Giving an update on the attacker after Saturday's game, Selles revealed the significant blow, telling the Reading Chronicle: "He is going to be three months out. It is a severe injury in a tendon in the hip. It is 12 weeks. It’s bad news."

It could have been even worse news for fans, but the fact he's out for an extended period of time isn't ideal, considering the Royals have a paper-thin squad.

They will now have to get through the next three months without one of their most important attacking players.

Ruben Selles faces a familiar issue at Reading FC

The Royals do have some other left-wing options, including Adrian Akande and Basil Tuma.

Andre Garcia may also be a wing option when Jeriel Dorsett returns to action.

However, all of those options are inexperienced and ideally, Ehibhatiomhan would have been able to stay fit for a large chunk of the season.

Their problems on the left wing are returning, having existed last season.

Paul Mukairu and Dom Ballard may have been options at that point, but the former was underwhelming for much of his time in Berkshire and the latter spent most of the season out injured after sustaining a serious setback away at Wycombe Wanderers.

Azeez was a real asset on the right-hand side after gaining plenty of confidence last season, and that magnified the issue that the Royals had on the left.

This season, both wings are arguably an issue, with loanee Campbell failing to impress supporters.

But the left side is now a particularly big issue after Ehibhatiomhan's setback and it doesn't look as though this problem will be solved anytime soon, with a takeover seemingly not close to being completed.

If a takeover can be sorted before January though, they need to address the left-wing area as a matter of urgency.

Other positions may also need to be looked at, including their right-wing, striker and left-back departments, but bringing in a left-winger could be crucial too.