“The most important thing” – Exclusive: Reading FC concern addressed amid West Brom transfer link
After Semi Ajayi, a West Brom defender who is out of contract, was linked to a move to the Madejski Stadium, former Wycombe Wanderers defender turned EFL pundit Joe Jacobson believes that Reading must resolve their off-field issues before they can begin researching possible summer window additions.
After being a vital member of the Millers’ second and third divisions, Ajayi joined the Baggies from Rotherham United in 2019 for a reported sum of £1.5 million, making him the team’s second longest-serving player.
The Nigerian international, who was born in London, carried over his success and form to his time in the West Midlands with ease.He contributed to Albion’s promotion to the Premier League during his first season with the team. But in recent years, his influence at The Hawthorns has diminished due to injuries and the quality of other players in his place.
Since his contract with the team expires at the end of this season, it appears that the 31-year-old will be leaving for fresh opportunities. As the season draws to a close, Reading is vying for a berth in the League One play-off spots; however, they must improve Leyton Orient’s performance the following week in order to guarantee a top-six finish.
Joe Jacobson offers verdict on ‘very good’ Semi Ajayi amid boardroom issues at Reading
Despite playing 174 games for West Brom in his five and a half years there, Ajayi has not appeared in more than 27
games in any of the last two seasons, and as of right now, it appears that his time at The Hawthorns is coming to an
end as his contract expires in June.
Before being fired last week, the 31-year-old made only two appearances under Tony Mowbray, and it is obvious that
injuries have taken a toll on him in recent years.
But it’s impossible to overstate how good he was and probably still is in the Championship or League One when
healthy.
Africafoot, a news outlet, claims that Reading has contacted his advisors over a possible summer transfer to Madejski
Stadium.
They are not alone in their approaches, though, as it is also thought that he was approached about joining the Tigers
by Hull City, a second-tier team that faces relegation.
Ajayi would be a good addition to the Royals in the upcoming months, according to former Wycombe defender
turned EFL analyst Joe Jacobson, who spoke exclusively to Football League World. However, he also believes that
the team should resolve their off-field issues before approving any new players, as owner Dai Yongge is close to
leaving and a potential takeover is imminent.
There appears to be hope after Reading’s tumultuous time off the pitch over the past few years, as they recently
issued an official statement confirming that the club’s sale is getting closer to completion and that the EFL has given
them an additional extension to finish it by May 5.
Regardless of off-field concerns, the Royals’ entire attention should be on next week’s crucial game against Barnsley
on the last day of the regular season. American businessman and lawyer Rob Couhig is thought to be the man who is
getting closer to taking over as the team’s new owner, succeeding Dai Yongge.
Noel Hunt’s side can finish in the play-off places if they better Leyton Orient’s result, who are away at Huddersfield
Town.Given everything has been going on in the background surrounding their possible takeover, it would be an
enormous accomplishment if they made it to the top six. Of course, it would be even more impressive if they were
able to return to the second division after a two-year absence.
Theoretically, the Royals would be very wise to sign Ajayi this summer. He is a standout performer at Championship
level, let alone League One, and would undoubtedly be a standout in the third division if Reading are unable to
secure promotion this season. It would be a free transfer, and his wages are not estimated to be on the higher side
within the Baggies’ current squad.
| Semi Ajayi’s West Brom statistics (as of 10/2) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 176 |
| Goals | 13 |
| Assists | 3 |
Experience as a centre-back is vital, particularly in the second-tier, and Ajayi has that in abundance with nearly 200
appearances in the division throughout his career so far.
He is a robust tackler, prefers to play out from the back, and is a somewhat reliable scorer for a defender, all qualities
that are necessary for a centre-back in the EFL.
Just past season, he outperformed other second-tier center-backs using FBref in terms of goals per 90, progressive
carries per 90, and long passes completed per 90.
He has 39 Nigerian caps to his name, which is impressive for a player who has only played one season in the top
flight. He was also the only Nigerian player to play every minute of their seven games at the 2023 African Cup of
Nations, where they finished as runners-up.
Having said that, if he does leave West Brom, which seems very likely to happen, it would undoubtedly be a coup for
the Royals to sign him this summer. But until then, they obviously have a lot of things to iron out on and off the
pitch, and they’ll be hoping that everything goes their way so he can join Reading for the upcoming campaign.
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