Due to difficulties with getting his money out of China, Royals owner Dai Yongge missed a deadline to deposit 125% of the team’s anticipated September wage bill into an account as part of a ruling against him by an independent commission. As a result, Ruben Selles’ team lost three more points in League One.
At the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the Spaniard is trying his best under challenging conditions, but player sales may be the worst to come.
Due to difficulties with getting his money out of China, Royals owner Dai Yongge missed a deadline to deposit 125% of the team’s anticipated September wage bill into an account as part of a ruling against him by an independent commission. As a result, Ruben Selles’ team lost three more points in League One.
At the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the Spaniard is trying his best under challenging conditions, but player sales may be the worst to come.
The striker Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan is one of the players who could get some interest since it appears to be the only option for Yongge to recover any money from the team before a prospective takeover.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, who is he?
Ehibhatiomhan, a Royals junior academy product, received his first professional contract little over two years ago, although his league debut came in 2022–23 when he was brought on as a substitute against Cardiff in the Championship.
Ehibhatiomhan’s first goal as a professional came against Stevenage in the same month, although he didn’t actually play much until the end of the season. In just his fifth Championship game, against Preston North End, in April 2023, he scored an equaliser.
Ehibhatiomhan had opportunities under interim manager Noel Hunt from the outset, and he is currently playing a significant role under Selles in League One for the 2023–24 season, tallying five goals in 10 games across all competitions.
Given Reading’s present predicament and the fact that his contract is expected to expire at the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Championship teams, including Birmingham City, are sure to be watching the 20-year-old’s performances.
Birmingham don’t exactly have a lot of alternatives when it comes to striking, especially ones that have their best years ahead of them.Scott Hogan and Lukas Jutkiewicz are in their 30s and won’t get much better, while Jay Stansfield, who is on loan from Fulham, doesn’t usually play as a centre striker.
And with Reading’s situation being increasingly desperate in terms of their financial state, a cut-price figure may need to be agreed – especially when you take into consideration Ehibhatiomhan’s contract situation with less than a year remaining.
The smartest investment that Birmingham’s relatively new American ownership could make therefore is that of Ehibhatiomhan – a deal could get done relatively quickly for the youngster to arrive in January and he has the raw tools to be developed into a quality striker.
