Reading FC hoping to strike Southampton transfer agreement | OneFootball

The young striker impressed for the Royals before his season was cut short last year

Reading FC are said to be hopeful of completing a repeat loan deal to bring Southampton striker Dom Ballard back to the club.

That’s according to a report from Reading Today, who claim that Royals' boss Ruben Selles is keen to bring the 19-year-old back to Berkshire, after his last spell at the club was cut short through injury.

Ballard netted five times in his 12 appearances for the club during the first-half of the previous campaign, before the snapping of his patella tendon in November of last year ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Having completed his rehabilitation process, the England youth international will be fit and available for the start of the upcoming campaign, with Reading keen to get their hands on him once again.

Reading FC keen on re-signing Southampton striker Dom Ballard

Although things didn’t work out well in the long run, Ballard started off life at the Madejski Stadium in fine form, as he netted twice in a 9-0 thrashing of Exeter City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy in just his second appearance for the club.

With the Royals struggling due to their financial issues restricting their transfer business, it was a tough start to the season for everyone involved with the Berkshire side, although Ballard proved to be a shining light at times.

Further strikes against Northampton Town and Fleetwood Town gave further optimism for the tough campaign that laid ahead, while his final goal for the club gave his side a 2-0 lead against Shrewsbury Town, only for the Shropshire side to complete a turnaround victory.

Alas, the promising start to the season was abruptly brought to a halt by the striker’s injury woes, as he lasted less than half an hour at Adams Park before snapping his patellar tendon and ending his season on the spot.

With months of rehabilitation at St Mary’s under his belt, Ballard was back on the grass and partaking in pre-season training with the Saints this week, with a loan move away from the Premier League side expected this summer.

Any transfer activity with the Royals will have to wait until any proposed takeover of the club has been completed, with former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig said to be in talks to purchase the club from tumultuous owner Dai Yongge.

After giving up his shares in the Chairboys during the previous campaign, Couhig looks set to return to football this summer, with talks advancing over the past week.

Royals fans will be keen to see the back of current owner Yongge, with the Chinese businessman putting everyone associated with the club through the wringer in the past few years, with points deductions and transfer embargoes commonplace at the Madejski Stadium.

With 18 points being taken off their tally during Yongge’s time at the club, Reading have seen their status in the EFL slip over time, with relegation from the Championship confirmed in 22/23, before fighting to save their League One status for much of the previous campaign.

While the club is currently under a transfer embargo, they are still allowed to sign free agents or loan players, as they prepare for the upcoming third tier season.