League One has been littered with ex-Premier League sides this season including two former top flight sides, Derby County and Reading FC.
It has been a contrasting season for the two sides, with Derby currently sitting in the top two and looking likely for automatic promotion back to the Championship at the second time of asking, while Reading have been languishing down at the wrong end of the table, flirting with relegation and being plagued with financial turmoil and point deductions.
Now that we are reaching season’s end, however, Derby could look to take advantage of Reading’s troubles and make a move for one of their starring attackers, Sam Smith.
Sam Smith’s story so far
The striker returned to Reading last summer following a two-year spell at former loan club Cambridge United.
Having come through at the Royals, the striker was sent on numerous loan spells up and down the country, experiencing mixed success, but found a home with The U’s. Over both his loan spell and permanent stay with the Cambridgeshire club, he would amass 143 appearances and score 43 goals.
Since returning on a free transfer last summer, the striker has played a significant role in ensuring his childhood team another season in League One. He has scored 12 goals in the league this season, with half of them coming in the last ten matches.
One of these goals was against Derby County in their 2-1 victory over the Royals on March 12th. It’s likely that Derby County has been monitoring the striker closely due to this performance.
Derby County’s summer spruce up
Last week, we discussed the possibility of Derby County making a loan move for Crystal Palace’s young talent Zack Marsh. While such a transfer could add freshness to Paul Warne’s attacking options, it would also pose a significant risk to expect a young player to come in and contribute goals in the physically demanding and competitive environment of the Championship, especially if it’s his first experience at this level of men’s football.
Therefore, Warne should consider targeting the 6ft 1in striker from Reading in addition to or instead of the Palace youngster. This Reading player is known for being a focal point in any team he plays for, boasting an impressive 83% success rate in aerial duels this season according to FotMob. Additionally, he has maintained a remarkable 68% shot accuracy across his appearances for Ruben Selles’ side this season.
Additionally, the Manchester-born striker would bring a good amount of pace to a Derby side that has looked lethargic at times this season.
Typically deployed in Selles’ system all across the front three at times, the attacker could combine well with the likes of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkuizen and create lightning-fast counter-attacks late on in games next season, something that Derby have struggled to do with their current frontline.
| Derby County – Current age of Strikers 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| Player Name | Age (Years and months) |
| James Collins | 33 years, 4 months |
| Nathaniel Mendez-Laing | 31 years, 11 months |
| Dwight Gayle | 34 years, 5 months |
| Martyn Waghorn | 34 years, 2 months |
| Conor Washington | 31 years, 10 months |
The Championship is slowly becoming a division where fast-paced, free-flowing football is played by some very exciting young footballers, so if Derby were to maintain the aging strikeforce they have, they could struggle to adapt to a forever modernising league, meaning a move for Smith may become a necessity.
Add to the above the fact that the forward would significantly help bring down the age of the current attacking options at the club, with the Englishman having recently celebrated his 26th Birthday, and the transfer does make serious sense on the Rams’ part.
Sales would provide relief for Reading
It is no secret that Reading have spent the entirety of this season, plus the past 3 years or so, in financial struggles.
Controversial owner Dai Yongge took charge of the club back in 2017, and despite initial hopes that the state-of-the-art Bearwood Park training ground and multiple large transfer outlays would help take the club to a new level, the opposite has now occurred.
The COVID-19 pandemic first highlighted the troubles Reading FC were in under Yongge, with their 21/22 financial records severely breaking the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), which resulted in a six-point deduction for the side at the time, plunging them into the Championship relegation zone and giving Reading fans the first of many red flags about their owner.
Since then, there have been several instances of late wage payments and HMRC tax delays, along with minimal funding for transfer windows. This led to numerous fan protests and eventually prompted the EFL to issue a statement in January, directing Dai Yongge to either sell or finance the 153-year-old club.
Returning to Sam Smith and a potential sale, while Reading would dislike losing a player they recently re-signed, selling him could ease financial concerns. However, this hinges on securing a high sale price. Without recent insights into the club’s financial state, Derby, Warne, and the new owners might aim for a swift and inexpensive deal, potentially leaving Reading feeling shortchanged.
There may be positive developments regarding the club’s takeover this week. Considering Reading’s likely continuation in League One and their ongoing financial challenges, it appears increasingly unlikely that they can retain their popular striker.
Moreover, as Derby County seeks to revitalize their attacking lineup, Sam Smith might indeed be on the move this summer.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply