The 6-figure fee Reading FC may need to pay for 11-goal winger - League One rival also keen | OneFootball

League One outfit Reading FC have learned how much they may need to pay to sign Colchester United winger Kyreece Lisbie ahead of Peterborough

An important summer transfer window looms large at Reading FC ahead of Rob Couhig's second campaign of ownership at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, in which the 2025/26 season perhaps failed to live up to expectation.

The Royals were denied of a top-six spot in the previous term by just three points and further progression towards promotion contention was anticipated following Couhig's long-awaited purchase of the Berkshire outfit from Dai Yongge.

However, Reading struggled for consistency throughout the season just gone and Leam Richardson fell short of turning the campaign around after replacing Noel Hunt back in October, with the position of the ex-Wigan Athletic boss now a subject of stiff criticism from supporters in the wake of a capitulating end to the season which saw the Royals win just one of their last eight matches.

Reading ultimately finished the season in 12th place and significant work is required throughout the ever-approaching summer months if Richardson's side are to turn a corner and compete for a play-off spot next time around.

That's led the Royals to revitalise interest in a previous transfer target, and they have now learned how much money they may need to fork out in order to lure the coveted starlet to RG2.

Reading FC eyeing fresh Kyreece Lisbie, Colchester United transfer as price-tag emerges

The player in question is sought-after Colchester United sensation Kyreece Lisbie, who has emerged as a target higher up the football pyramid following an eye-catching debut campaign in Essex.

According to a fresh report from the Reading Chronicle on Tuesday morning, the Royals are poised to relaunch their pursuit of Lisbie's signature after missing out on a move during the winter window.

It's claimed that Reading will be entering an impending bidding war with League One rivals Peterborough United, whose own interest in Lisbie is well-documented as the Colchester star's twin brother - Kyrell - comes off the back of a similarly-impressive opening season at the Weston Homes Stadium which saw him register 11 league goals.

As per the latest update, Peterborough are "pushing hard" to fend off competition and bring Lisbie to the club this summer, although the 22-year-old is believed to view a switch to Reading as the most attractive destination for his career at this moment in time.

That provides an undoubted transfer advantage to Reading, who will reportedly need to stump up a sum in the region of between £500,000-£750,000 after seeing two separate bids rejected earlier this year.

Colchester decided against selling Lisbie when Reading first came calling, but having finished the freshly-concluded 2025/26 League Two campaign in 12th position, their resolve is primed to be tested in the coming weeks and it appears increasingly likely that the winger's future lies away from the club just over twelve months after his arrival from then-National League side Braintree Town.

Colchester United's Kyreece Lisbie would be a shrewd signing for Reading FC

It's unsurprising to see that Lisbie is continuing to garner interest from clubs above League Two, as the speedy forward's progress in recent months has been nothing short of remarkable.

Plucked out of the non-league game, Lisbie took to League Two football like a duck to water during his first season with Colchester, recording 11 goals and seven assists from 51 appearances across all competitions.

There's little denying that the wide-man is now ready to take the next step in his career and the reported asking price represents a reasonable fee for Reading to shell out on a clear talent who can make an immediate impact in the third-tier while arriving with healthy potential resale value looking towards the future.

The Royals would do well to get ahead of the curve and wrap up a deal for Lisbie before a greater volume of vultures begin to circle, which does feel like something of an inevitability as the summer window edges ever closer.