Reading FC are closing in on a deal for Fulham attacker Sone Aluko. The Championship club have reportedly agreed on a fee of £7.5m for the 28-year-old winger. The player is set for a medical and an announcement could be made anytime soon.
Following the cash flow, Championship clubs have also been engaged in this ruthless transfer window as each and every club is eyeing the lucrative Premier League as a motivation to keep them up in the English second tier.
It’s DONE! Reading has agreed on a £7.5m deal for Fulham forward Sone Aluk. Medical to happen today. #ReadingFC #FFC
— The 4th Official (@Official_T4O) August 29, 2017
Reading boss Jaap Stam would be hoping to replicate their last season’s performance as they came very close to a promotion but lost out in the Championship Playoff final to Huddersfield Town.
Rumours have been hovering around for the last few days but various sources have now confirmed that the deal is pretty close to being completed.
The Nigerian international’s current deal is scheduled to expire at the end of this season and the player expressed his concern over the club’s decision not to offer him a renewal.
The 28-year-old lit up the Championship last season and is going to be Reading’s seventh signing this summer. The Nigerian international was pretty influential for the Whites as he netted eight goals and racked up 12 assists last season.
Reading gaffer Stam has already sanctioned his move and heaped praises on the player. “He can be a big asset for us.
“He is the type of player I think can make the squad better and give us something different.”
Fulham signed the player from Hull City on a free transfer and are set to gain a huge profit from this move. Although they had the opportunity to give the player a chance to renew his stay at the Craven Cottage, the club opted to cash in on him.
The Nigerian international could have donned the England jersey as he represented the Three Lions at various youth levels but preferred to switch his allegiance to his native country.
Reading have had a mixed start to the season and Jaap Stam has been seeking reinforcements to make his squad even more competitive and has identified the player as a potential target. Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has tried hard to keep the player but it seems he has lost the battle.
Predominantly a right winger, Aluko can also play as an out and out striker. The player came through the ranks of Birmingham City but has only featured in a single match for the Blues. It remains to be seen whether he can justify his price tag or not in the coming days.
