"Cautiously optimistic" - Jobi McAnuff reacts to fresh Reading FC takeover news | OneFootball

Former Reading captain Jobi McAnuff has expressed his hope that the club's proposed takeover by Robert Platek will be completed.

Former Reading captain and pundit Jobi McAnuff says he is cautiously optimistic that the club's proposed takeover by American businessman Robert Platek will be completed.

It has been a nightmare few years for Reading under the ownership of Dai Yongge, with the club suffering relegation to League One, multiple points deductions, the sale of key players and ongoing off-field issues.

The Royals have seen multiple takeover attempts fail in recent years, the latest of which came in September when former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig's bid to buy the club collapsed at the last minute, and he has subsequently become embroiled in a legal battle with Yongge.

However, there may finally be some light at the end of the tunnel for the long-suffering Reading supporters as the club released a statement on Monday confirming that they had "committed to a letter of intent with a potential purchaser of the club", and they said that they were hopeful of a "quick completion".

The Reading Chronicle later revealed that Platek is the mystery party in exclusivity talks to purchase the Royals, and the 61-year-old is currently the owner of Portuguese side Casa Pia, while he has previously been involved with Italian outfit Spezia and Danish club Sonderjyske.

Reading Today claim that all parties are hopeful the takeover will be finalised by April, and that would be a huge boost for Reading, who currently sit ninth in the League One table, just three points from the play-offs.

Jobi McAnuff reacts to latest Reading FC takeover update

McAnuff, who scored 16 goals and provided 39 assists in 206 games for Reading between 2009 and 2014, insisted he was not getting too carried away with the latest takeover developments after previous disappointments, but he expressed his hope that a deal will be completed this time.

"The phrase I would definitely use is cautiously optimistic," McAnuff said on the BBC's Football Daily podcast.

"It's obviously good news that they have got someone who potentially wants to take over.

"I know the football club inside out, and that's never going to be an issue in terms of the assets.

"Another positive is that, in terms of the deal as a whole, it includes the owner's shares and stakeholding in the football club, but also the stadium and the training ground facilities.

"I think as a package for Reading fans, if it does come off, that is a really, really good bit of news.

"I think the only problem is we have been here multiple times before, so I don't think anyone is getting overly excited, but of course, it is a bit of positivity."

After many false dawns in recent years, Reading supporters will not allow themselves to celebrate just yet, but they will likely share McAnuff's cautious optimism about this week's takeover developments.

For the first time, the club have referred to the possibility of a quick completion of a deal, marking a significant shift in tone from some of their previous statements, and it does feel as though there are reasons to be hopeful that Platek's takeover bid will succeed where others have failed.

Given his vast experience in football, Platek would be a safe pair of hands for the Royals after a turbulent period, and the fact that he is keen to buy Yongge's shares, as well as the stadium and the training ground, suggests he is committed to taking the club forward.