Reading FC in talks to offload first-teamer as Naby Sarr deal held up | OneFootball

Reading need to offload a key earner if they want to recruit Naby Sarr and have engaged in talks with Liam Moore regarding a potential contract termination, according to journalist Courtney Friday.

Former Huddersfield Town man Sarr has agreed a deal with the Berkshire outfit to ply his trade at the Select Car Leasing Stadium – but the EFL are currently blocking this deal until a top earner is off the books.

Two of those top earners are suspected to be Liam Moore and George Puscas, both of whom were expected to move on this summer but the former’s severe injury has prevented the Jamaican from sealing a permanent divorce with the second-tier side up to this point.

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1. Who did Reading sign Mamadou Loum from this summer?

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He was shipped out on loan in January – but wasn’t able to make that much of an impression at Stoke City before being ruled out with an injury for the remainder of that season.

Puscas, meanwhile, endured a temporary stay at Serie B outfit Pisa and he’s one player that is seeking a move away, but none of the bids the Royals have received this summer have been satisfactory.

According to Friday, talks are now ongoing with Moore in an attempt to offload him and make room for Sarr to come in, though it remains to be seen whether their attempts are successful.

Getting Moore out would make sense considering the fact the club and the former skipper have already burnt their bridges after the defender was stripped of the captaincy and criticised in a club statement back in January.

With the existing options the Berkshire side have and Sarr, they should have a sufficient number of centre-backs even with Moore departing, but it will be interesting to see what Paul Ince’s side can do within their restrictions.

Paying up the remainder of his contract may be too costly at this stage and something the EFL may raise their eyebrows at – but is the defender really going to make himself a free agent whilst he’s injured?

Probably not – and this is why they will also need to push hard to try and get Puscas out of the door – because he is clearly surplus to requirements at the SCL Stadium after struggling to play up front on his own.

And at this stage, there are probably youngsters that have climbed above him in the pecking order. Getting Sarr over the line could be crucial to their survival hopes, so they need to get one of Moore or Puscas off the books as quickly as possible.