Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reacts to big Reading FC takeover twist | OneFootball

Don Goodman has shared his thoughts on the latest developments at Reading as pressure increases on Dai Yongge to sell the club.

Pundit Don Goodman hopes that the pressure being applied by the EFL will convince Reading owner Dai Yongge to sell the club before the upcoming 4th April deadline.

It has been a turbulent few years for Reading under Yongge's ownership, and the long-suffering supporters have seen multiple takeover attempts fail, the most recent of which came in September when former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig's bid to buy the club collapsed at the last minute.

Yongge has since been embroiled in a legal battle with Couhig, and he tried to get an injunction against the American businessman, claiming that he was blocking his efforts to sell the Royals, but that request was refused on Friday.

During the same hearing at the Commercial Court in London, it emerged that Yongge had been disqualified under the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test, and he was ordered to sell the club by the agreed deadline, but if he fails to do so, "the League will consider all options available within its regulations to bring the matter to a conclusion".

Yongge is currently in exclusivity talks with an unnamed party, believed to be Robert Platek, over a potential takeover, but it remains to be seen what sanctions will be imposed if a deal is not completed before next month's deadline, with expulsion from the EFL one possible punishment.

Despite the ongoing off-field turmoil and the departure of manager Ruben Selles to Hull City in December, Reading have continued their promotion push in League One, and following a 10-game unbeaten run, Noel Hunt's men currently sit eighth in the table, just two points from the play-off places.

Don Goodman on latest Reading, Dai Yongge developments

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman expressed his sympathy with Reading supporters as their troubles continue, and he revealed his hope that the deadline imposed by the EFL will force Yongge to sell the club.

"I think I've, probably over the last 18 months to two years, exhausted all words on Reading and Dai Yongge's ownership," Goodman said.

"My heart absolutely goes out to the fans of Reading Football Club.

"This man's tenure is potentially going to run the club into the ground, and nobody wants to see that.

"You just hope that the sternness that the EFL are applying will make Dai Yongge see sense and do what's right for the football club, and obviously that is to sell it."

As the 4th April deadline looms, Reading supporters are facing a nervous wait for news on any potential takeover developments.

As Goodman says, the imposition of a firm deadline by the EFL could help to put pressure on Yongge to sell the club, but on the other hand, given his track record, it is difficult to have any confidence that he will do the right thing for the Royals.

The positive for the Reading fan base is that there is an interested party in talks to buy the club in Platek, and as discussions over a potential takeover continue, the football world will be united in the hope that a solution can be found over the next two weeks.