Reading crisis gets worse as club ‘agree to sell fan-favourite without knowledge of manager and director of football’

READING have been dealt another seismic blow after the club accepted an offer to sell fan favourite Tom Holmes.

The 23-year-old is undergoing a medical at Premier League relegation battlers Luton, according to talkSPORT.

Reuters

Reading boss Ruben Selles confirmed the club had accepted bids for two players[/caption]

Getty

Tom Holmes is reportedly undergoing a medical at Luton[/caption]

Nelson Abbey is reported to be the other star set for a Reading exitRex

Manager Ruben Selles has confirmed Holmes and 20-year-old Nelson Abbey have both the subject of accepted transfer bids by the League One strugglers.

He told BBC Radio Berkshire: “The club have accepted two proposals for two of our players.”

Selles, who joined the club in July, said one of the interested parties is “a Premier League club” but did not reveal who it was.

He continued: “But it is not only one Premier League club that have interest. There is interest from other clubs abroad. It would be dangerous to speculate.”

However, damning reports suggest Selles and director of football Mark Bowen were only told about the about the bids AFTER they had been accepted by club chief executive Dayong Pang.

Selles later confirmed this on his part, saying: “I have been informed about the deals but I was not involved at the very beginning.

“It is an extraordinary situation but then my time at Reading has been a big learning curve for me.”

Holmes asked to be left out of the team owing to the speculation surrounding his move, while Abbey did opt to play.

FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES

Selles added: “The players are individual persons and different from one to the other.

“Nelson wanted to carry on and Tom wanted to be waiting, which is something I respect.

“The situation with the club inside is not the optimum situation, so we decided to give some time to Tom and to go with Nelson in the line-up.

“The two offers have been accepted but that does not mean the transfers are going to happen, because it is up to the players to really decide if they want to do it.”

News of the club selling the stars is said to have been a major reason behind the fan protests which led to fans storming the pitch at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.

The pitch invasion against Royals owner Dai Yongge forced their clash against Port Vale to be abandoned.

Alamy

Reading fans stormed the pitch in protest against owner Dai Yongge[/caption]

PA

The protests saw Readings clash with Port Vale abandoned[/caption]

Reading have been deducted 16 points for financial mismanagement under YonggeRex Features

Reading have been deducted 16 POINTS due to financial mismanagement under Yongge’s ownership, including four points for the late payment of wages.

Fans in attendance at today’s clash with Port Vale reported that the PA system inside the stadium announced that the game would be abandoned is supporters didn’t leave the pitch.

The disgruntled fans were said to be chanting “get out of out club” and “we want Dai Yongge out” during the on-field protest.

And in a show of support for Reading’s dire situation, Port Vale fans were also said to be joining in with the chanting.

While video also emerged of both sets of fans shaking hands after discussions about the protests.

Soccer Saturday legend Jeff Stelling sensationally slammed Sky Sports for their coverage of the protests, asking why there was no reporter at the ground.

But Saturday’s protest has left boss Selles fearing ANOTHER points penalty.

Selles warned: “The implications are a points deduction, it can be that we play with an empty stadium for one, two games or even for the rest of the season.

“And financial punishment of course. It is a big variety of things and that will be for a panel of experts to decide.”

TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest transfer deals from around the world this January