Reading FC takeover: Rob Couhig deal advancing as new season looms | OneFootball

Reading FC are hopeful that sale of club is nearing ahead of new League One season.

Reading FC's takeover is progressing, but not complete, ahead of the new League One season, according to Reading today.

Former Wycombe Wanderers chairman Rob Couhig is reportedly leading the race to purchase the Berkshire outfit.

The Royals have been on the market for new ownership for almost a year now, as current owner Dai Yongee looks to sell up.

Reading head into their 12th consecutive season without Premier League football, and supporters are desperate for the Royals to jump back up to England's top flight.

The men's first-team isn't the only Reading side that has faced off-field issues in recent times, as the women's team's late takeover bid fell through last month, as their side now faces potential permanent closure and liquidation.

According to the Guardian, the best-case scenario for the women's team is that the side will play fifth-tier football next season.

Dai Yongee's tension with supporters

It's no secret that the Chinese owner's relationship with Royals fans has dramatically deteriorated over his time in charge of the club.

Unpaid player wages, tennis balls thrown onto the pitch, and supporter-led protests are just some of the situations that have occurred at the League One club in the past year.

Fans have made their voices heard at the Select Car Leasing stadium over the past 12 months by invading the pitch during matches, and holding various banners portraying their disgust towards the current ownership.

Front-runner Rob Couhig's history

Couhig was chairman at Wycombe for five years, and already has history with the Royals. He attempted to buy the club's training facility, Bearwood Park, while still chariman of Wycombe, and now he is back again, this time with the consortium, Chiron Sports Group.

Before any sale is agreed upon, they must provide evidence to the EFL that the consortium has sufficient funds to buy the club and that they can operate the entity for at least two years.

Reading Today has also reported that, if the deal is successful, Couhig will be cutting costs at the club, especially at Bearwood Park. It is also understood that the entrepreneur has already been introduced to manager Ruben Selles and his first-team players.

The former Southampton boss has done a brilliant job at steadying the ship, despite the chaos going on behind the scenes.

Utilising loan players and using academy graduates are just two ways Selles has been able to get a side playing good football on the pitch.

With the new League One season just around the corner, the Royals are in a race against time to get a deal finalised before the 2024/25 season gets underway.

Selles' side heads to newly-relegated outfit Birmingham City in what is set to be an extremely tough opening game of the campaign on Saturday, August 10.