The 12 Reading FC players who are currently set to leave in 2024

The Royals will need to hand out quite a few extensions in the coming months if they don’t want to lose a high number of players next summer.

Reading have made a reasonably poor start to the 2023/24 campaign, but that’s to be expected.

They didn’t sign their first player of the summer window until mid-July and took far too long to appoint a new manager, something that has probably had an effect on their results during the early stages of the season.

They have looked good at times – but they need to improve quite a bit if they want to ensure they don’t suffer back-to-back relegations.

Considering they have a reasonably gifted young group of players and have only just been relegated from the Championship, relegation to League Two seems unlikely but potential future points deductions could put them back in trouble, and they also need to improve their form.

Future sanctions against Ruben Selles’ side can’t be ruled out because they have been run so poorly by owner Dai Yongge, with his liquidity issues causing major worry.

Unfortunately, they have lost many talented players over the years, including Omar Richards and John Swift, because they either haven’t cashed in on these players or offered new contracts at the right time.

And they have some first-teamers who are set to depart in the summer of 2024 unless they can get them tied down to extensions.

McIntyre has been utilised at left-back at times – but hasn’t been a regular starter recently with the likes of Nelson Abbey, Tyler Bindon and Harlee Dean overtaking him in the pecking order.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leave next summer.

Nelson Abbey

Abbey has been one of the Royals’ best players of the campaign so far, stepping up well at such a young age and putting in performances that he can be proud of.

His intelligence, speed and strength have to be commended – and the Royals need to get him tied down to a new contract as quickly as possible.

Jeriel Dorsett

Dorsett hasn’t secured a huge amount of first-team football so far this season despite many young players being given an opportunity to shine.

At this stage, he will probably be released next summer, but he still has the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign to prove his worth if he isn’t sent out on loan or sold in January.

Clinton Mola

New signing Mola has a big point to prove following his underwhelming spell at Blackburn Rovers last season.

He definitely has potential and could be a good left-back for the Royals – but he needs to show why he should be operating above this level.

Nesta Guinness-Walker

Guinness-Walker has rarely been seen since the Port Vale game last month, and it wouldn’t have been a shock to have seen him move on during the previous window.

But he’s still here at this point, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start regularly on the left-hand side again at some point. He needs to improve defensively though.

Kelvin Abrefa

Abrefa needs to force his way past the likes of Andy Yiadom and Amadou Mbengue in the pecking order and that won’t be an easy task.

However, he does have the potential to become an important first-teamer at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, and he could use the FA Cup to force his way into contention during the second half of the season if he doesn’t before that.

Sam Hutchinson

Hutchinson spent much of last season out injured but has become an important player under Selles.

Whether he can stay fit and how well he performs will be crucial factors in determining whether he earns himself an extension in Berkshire though.

Tivonge Rushesha

The Royals do have the option to extend his deal by an extra year – but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave next summer if he doesn’t step up to the plate and prove that he can cope at a senior level.

Making that transition from U23s football may be a difficult one for him – but a pathway to the first team is there for him.

Ovie Ejaria

Ejaria has been absent for quite a while now and because he’s likely to be on a reasonably high wage, it would be difficult to see him remaining in Berkshire beyond the end of this season.

Femi Azeez

Azeez is a frustrating player because he’s clearly talented – but his end product can let him down at times.

The next eight months could be crucial for him – and it’s up to him to prove his doubters wrong.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan

Ehibhatiomhan has started the season brilliantly, registering five goals in eight competitive appearances.

Along with Abbey, he needs to be tied down to an extension as quickly as possible because he could start attracting interest from elsewhere if he isn’t already.

Jahmari Clarke

Clarke hasn’t managed to make that much of an impact at a first-team level since his brace against Birmingham City under Veljko Paunovic.

At this stage, his future in Berkshire seems bleak, but he could get more opportunities to shine if he performs well enough in Premier League 2.