Reading are interested in signing Ross County striker Ronan Hale, as are League One clubs Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers.
Hale scored 14 goals in 38 league appearances north of the border last season and is now attracting EFL interest following Ross County’s relegation to the Scottish Championship.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, Reading, Wycombe, and Luton are interested in signing the Northern Irishman, with Reading considering a bid.
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman believes that Hale is exactly the type of player that the Royals should be looking for following their 2-0 loss to Lincoln in the first game of the 2025/26 League One season.
“They need to strengthen” – Reading claim made amid striker links
“I think that signing a striker or a forward player is a priority for Reading,” Goodman said when asked if an attacker is a priority after Reading’s opening weekend defeat.
“They struggled a little in preseason and then drew blank against Lincoln. It’s not a disaster because I believe Lincoln has the potential to be quite competitive in League One on their day.”
“But, this is a Reading team that has lost key players, whose goal contributions were massive.”
Harvey Knibbs, the Royals’ leading goalscorer last season with 14, just left the club for Charlton Athletic, while 11-goal striker Sam Smith moved to Wrexham in January.
“They should strengthen. Hale had a tremendous season and demonstrated his goal-scoring ability, so it will be intriguing to see if Reading can pull this off,” Goodman said.
Reading need to replace Knibbs’ and Smith’s impact
The aforementioned Knibbs and Smith were critical to the Royals’ offense last season. Losing Smith midway through was a tremendous blow, and now that Knibbs has also left, Reading has conceded a substantial number of goals.
Knibbs and Smith have combined to score 51 of Reading’s 136 League One goals over the last two seasons, which is even more impressive given that the latter left for Wrexham in January, where he scored seven more League One goals as Phil Parkinson’s side won promotion to the Championship.
| Sam Smith & Harvey Knibbs Reading goals 23/24 & 24/25 (Transfermarkt) | |
|---|---|
| Player | Goals |
| Sam Smith | 26 |
| Harvey Knibbs | 25 |
Their most recent striker acquisition, Hale, may not come from the most prestigious domestic league in terms of recognized talent. However, he knows where the back of the net is.
Reading want to return to League One sooner rather than later, but in order to do so, they must replace the goals of two of their most crucial players since their relegation.
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