Reading FC struck transfer gold with summer 2023 signing, he can become a modern day hero | OneFootball

Lewis Wing has proved to be a very shrewd addition for the Royals - and they are continuing to benefit from his contributions.

Some heroes have established themselves at League One side Reading FC since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with manager Ruben Selles being adored by many supporters.

Selles didn't get off to the best start to life at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, but the Royals have done fairly well under him for much of his tenure, with the Spanish manager making the most of the limited resources he's had to work with.

Some decent additions were made last summer, but they have only been able to make two loan additions in the past two windows, which shows just how little Selles has had to work with.

The players they have brought in since their return to the third tier of English football have helped them though, with the 2023 summer window proving to be a productive one for them despite their various issues.

Lewis Wing probably stands out as one of the best signings, with the player previously attracting interest from Queens Park Rangers, but opting to make the move to Berkshire instead.

Harvey Knibbs has also proved to be a shrewd addition, along with Ben Elliott and Tyler Bindon, and Sam Smith has impressed after his return to the Royals.

Wing's additions have arguably been the most important though.

Lewis Wing's role at Reading FC

Wing previously started in Selles' unsuccessful 4-2-2-2 system and didn't do a terrible job, all things considered.

Selles has also played with a 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 formation, but is mainly operating with the latter now, and Wing is currently operating as the deepest player in midfield.

This formula hasn't always been a success, with Crawley Town finding it way too easy to cut through the Royals' midfield last Saturday.

However, the Berkshire side still came out 4-1 winners in the end.

Wing's role as a deep midfielder provides him with defensive responsibilities, but he isn't afraid to advance forward.

He is particularly useful during attacking moves, with the player picking the ball up from full-back at times and starting moves.

The 29-year-old is usually tidy with the ball at his feet too, and with Michael Craig being forced to play at right-back at the moment amid an injury crisis in this area, this has made Wing an even more crucial player.

Without him in the team, the Royals wouldn't be as tidy, so the 29-year-old's role cannot be understated.

Lewis Wing has enjoyed some excellent moments at Reading FC

Wing has enjoyed some magnificent moments during his time at the SCL Stadium, with his most recent goal against Crawley perhaps one of the best that's ever been scored in Berkshire.

That strike came at an important time, because Rob Elliot's side had the momentum at that point, and that goal proved to be a game-changer.

His contributions last season proved to be just as important, with the Berkshire outfit spending a decent chunk of the 2023/24 campaign in a relegation battle.

There's no doubt that his contributions and the contributions of others, including Knibbs and Smith, helped to prevent the Royals from dropping down to League Two.

His goal against his former team, Wycombe Wanderers, helped the Berkshire side to record their first away league win of the season and in the game after that, he scored a rocket against Carlisle United.

He also supplied a very good assist for Sam Smith to score against the Royals' rivals Oxford United in December last year.

But Wing's most important contribution for the Berkshire outfit probably came in February this year, with his goal against Port Vale propelling the Berkshire side to a vital 2-0 win.

At that point, the Royals were still in relegation danger and were facing a fellow candidate for the drop.

Controlling the ball extremely well, he then executed a brilliant, unstoppable strike to put the hosts 1-0 up against Darren Moore's men in Berkshire.

Already become many people's hero, Wing is well on his way to creating an excellent legacy for himself, also being the captain on numerous occasions for the club.