Sam Smith: The clear winners from Reading FC's summer transfer window so far | OneFootball

The Royals' summer window has been very quiet thus far - and a couple of players have clearly benefitted from that.

Reading FC haven't been able to get any signings over the line this summer, with their takeover saga rumbling on.

With just a few weeks to go until the new season starts, new owners are needed as quickly as possible to sort out the on-field and off-field issues that the Royals currently face.

If they don't manage to get a sale over the line soon, they risk having a disastrous start to the 2024/25 campaign, with the Berkshire outfit facing some very difficult sides during the early stages of the season.

They make the trip to St Andrew's to play against Birmingham City on the opening day of the campaign - and they also face Wrexham in August.

Ruben Selles may have retained the majority of his first-teamers throughout the summer, but the Royals released four players at the end of their contracts and also lost those who were on loan at the Select Car Leasing Stadium last term.

Below, we take a look at two players who have richly benefitted from a quiet summer window in Berkshire.

Jeriel Dorsett

As it stands, Jeriel Dorsett is the club's only senior left-back option at this stage.

Clinton Mola, Nesta Guinness-Walker and Matty Carson were all released this summer - and this has made Dorsett a strong favourite to start on the left-hand side against Birmingham next month.

The left-back department is an area that the Royals will surely be looking to strengthen, but whether they can do that in the coming weeks remains to be seen.

John Clarke and John Ryan are two other options on the left-hand side, but the former has played in other positions for the academy in recent times and the latter is yet to make his senior debut for the club.

Kelvin Abrefa or Andy Yiadom could move over to the right-hand side, but Dorsett was trusted by Selles for much of last season and that's why it wouldn't be a surprise to see him start again regularly next term if the left-back department isn't fully addressed this summer.

Dorsett can also play in central defence, and that's actually his natural position, but he may not win regular starts there with Amadou Mbengue and Tyler Bindon starting regularly together during the latter stages of last term.

This is why the academy graduate will love the fact that a left-back hasn't been brought in.

Sam Smith

The striker department is another area where there isn't much depth - and that will suit Smith - who will want to win as much game time as possible.

After spending the early stages of last term out with an injury, the ex-Cambridge United man will be keen to enjoy a 46-game season and if there's a lack of competition in the forward area, he's likely to win plenty of minutes on the pitch.

Jayden Wareham is available as an alternative, as is Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, but the former doesn't have a huge amount of senior experience under his belt and could benefit from a loan spell away from the SCL Stadium.

And the latter played more frequently on the wing during the final few months of the season, so it wouldn't be a shock to see him feature there at times.

Smith may be keen to put himself in the shop window ahead of next summer and the only way he'll be able to do that is by shining frequently.

Game time will greatly help his cause.