This season in League One has seen several ex-Premier League teams, including Derby County and Reading FC. Their trajectories have been vastly different, with Derby excelling and poised for automatic promotion, while Reading has struggled, battling relegation and financial issues with point deductions.
Now that we are reaching season’s end, however, Derby could look to take advantage of Reading’s troubles and make a move for one of their starring attackers, Sam Smith.
Sam Smith’s story so far
The striker returned to Reading last summer following a two-year spell at former loan club Cambridge United.
After spending two years on loan at Cambridge United, the striker returned to Reading last summer. He initially came through the ranks at Reading but went on several loan stints across the country before finding success at Cambridge United. During his time there, both on loan and permanently, he made 143 appearances and scored 43 goals.
Since rejoining Reading on a free transfer last summer, he has played a crucial role in securing another season of League One football for his childhood club. He has already scored 12 league goals this season, with half of them coming in the last ten games.
This includes a strike against the aforementioned Derby County, who will have no doubt been keeping an eye on the striker during their 2-1 triumph over the Royals on 12th March.
Derby County’s summer spruce up
We discussed the possibility of Derby County making a loan move for Crystal Palace’s Zack Marsh last week. While such a transfer could add a new dimension to their attacking lineup, it’s important to consider the challenges a young talent like Marsh might face in the physical and demanding environment of the Championship, especially given his limited experience in elite men’s football.
Considering this, Paul Warne might be better off targeting the 6ft 1in striker from Reading as an alternative or complementary option to Marsh.
The Reading striker stands out as a strong presence on the field, excelling in aerial duels with an impressive 83% success rate this season, as per FotMob data. His sharpness in front of goal is evident with a commendable 68% shot accuracy across his appearances for Ruben Selles’ side.
Beyond his aerial prowess and accuracy, the Manchester-born striker also brings a valuable element of pace to the game, which could inject much-needed energy into Derby’s play, particularly during sluggish moments this season.
Deployed flexibly across the front three by Selles, this attacker could form dynamic partnerships with players like Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkuizen, potentially sparking rapid counter-attacks in crucial stages of matches next season—an aspect where Derby has faced challenges with their current attacking lineup.
Sale to Derby would provide relief for Reading
It It’s widely known that Reading has been grappling with financial challenges not just this season but for the past few years. Since controversial owner Dai Yongge took over the club in 2017, there were high hopes initially with investments in the state-of-the-art Bearwood Park training ground and significant transfer expenditures. However, the reality has been quite different.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated Reading FC’s financial struggles under Yongge’s ownership. Their financial records for the 2021/2022 season notably breached the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), leading to a six-point deduction and placing the club in the Championship relegation zone. This incident raised serious concerns among Reading fans about the direction under their owner.