Our Under-21s are taking on the cream of crop once more this season as our Category One Academy do battle in the Premier League 2 this season.
And four new faces have now been added to the squad.
Forward Jayden Wareham scored four goals in his first three games on trial this summer, setting up three consecutive victories for Noel Hunt’s side in the league.
He scored either side of half-time in a 2-0 win over Stoke in our Under-21s’ opening fixture and then was in the right place at the right time to add the second goal in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace earlier this month. Then last weekend he scored again to set up a home win over Newcastle United!
Born in Ascot, the 20-year-old striker came through the ranks at QPR before joining Woking. He was then signed by Chelsea following a successful trial and, whilst regularly finding the back of the net for the Blues’ youth set-up, Wareham also scored past former Royals loanee Karl Hein in a defeat to Arsenal’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy in 2021-22.
He spent a short spell on loan at Leyton Orient last season, scoring twice within ten minutes of his debut in an EFL Trophy win over Sutton United. Now he has now signed up to a season as a Royal.
Fellow forward Billie Clark also joins the Reading ranks. Clark turned 19 last month and joins the club following the expiration of his contract at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Clark joined the Seagulls from non-league side Whitehawk a little less than 18 months ago, but now he moves away from the south coast to don the blue and white hoops of Reading following a successful trial with our Under-21s.
Defensive midfielder Charlie Wellens follows in the footsteps of Charlie Savage, swapping Old Trafford for RG2 this summer.
The son of former Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers, Oldham Athletic and Leicester City midfielder and current Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens, Charlie followed in his father’s footsteps to cut his teeth in Manchester United’s youth set-up.
The 20-year-old earned his first taste of first team football last season during a loan spell at another of his dad’s former clubs, Oldham, playing six times and scoring an 89th minute winner against Eastleigh to open his professional account in a 3-2 home win.
John Ryan, 19, also converts his trial period into a permanent move to Reading.
The promising young left-back was playing in the League of Ireland with Shamrock Rovers and then University College Dublin FC before making a move to Serie A to join Sassuolo last year where he featured primarily for the Italian side’s Under-19s.
A Republic of Ireland Under-19 international, Ryan now arrives in England for the first time, hoping to make a real impression under fellow countryman and former Irish international Noel Hunt.
We would like to welcome Jayden, Billie, Charlie and John to the club and look forward to following their progress as our Premier League 2 campaign gets into full swing.
