West Ham have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of a promising young prospect – but they face competition from London Premier League rivals Crystal Palace.
According to the Reading Chronicle, the Royals are keen to balance their books going forward in line with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, with a number of player sales being explored as Reading look to raise funds.
It is for that reason that young left-back Omar Richards is one such young prospect whocould be put up for sale in the New Year.
The English youth international is out of contract in the summer, though the Reading Chronicle noted that he is in talks for a new deal. The deal is believed to be four years in length, with a significant wage hike should the Royals earn promotion to the Premier League.
However, whilst progress is ongoing, it is believed that the 20-year-old will be put up for sale in the winter window if no significant breakthrough can be made soon. As a result, the Irons and the Eagles could go head-to-head as they eye a bargain swoop for the Championship prospect.
From Reading’s perspective, the benefit of a January sale in terms of being able to reinvest into the squad is a noted advantage, although no formal price tag is named in the source for any potential suitors.
Read West Ham Verdict
Richards is a prospect who is well worth a gamble. His age provides broad scope for improvement and he is already racking up regular minutes, having featured 16 times this season for the Royals. He is valued by Transfermarkt at just £1.35m.
Given his contract situation and market value, it is hard to see a fee inflating too much beyond his current value.
