Reading FC: Ruben Selles will be playing 2-cap international starts asking serious questions | OneFootball

Charlie Savage needs to give Selles a major selection headache for the sake of his development at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

League One side Reading are lacking depth in several areas, which is a key reason why a takeover is much needed.

The left-back area is one that the Royals may need to look at, even with Jeriel Dorsett available, with the defender potentially needed in a more central position at some point.

The wing department is also lacking options, with Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan out of action for the rest of the year and Chem Campbell currently due to head back to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January, and the recent absence of Sam Smith has reinforced the need for the Berkshire club to invest in their striker area, but until they get a takeover deal over the line, they probably won't be able to make many moves in the transfer market.

Thankfully for Ruben Selles, the club's academy has been a lifeline for him, with many youngsters stepping up well this season, including Ashqar Ahmed and Adrian Akande.

But more experience will be required if they want to give themselves the best chance of success and they will only be able to get that necessary experience by entering the transfer market.

Ruben Selles could face major Reading FC midfield dilemma

One area that may just survive without more additions in January is midfield, with some of their younger players stepping up and doing fairly well, along with the Royals' first-teamers.

Lewis Wing, Ben Elliott, Harvey Knibbs, Charlie Savage, Tivonge Rushesha, Shay Spencer and others can all play in the middle of the park, as well as Michael Craig, when he isn't needed at right-back.

Wing, Elliott, Knibbs, and Savage have all contributed in the final third this season - and it's often a hard task for Selles to pick which three players should start in the middle of the park.

Wing should be in the first XI considering how much of an asset he is, but many fans have argued that he should play further forward when the Royals are away from home, which would allow a more defensive midfielder to come in.

With Craig needed at right-back, Selles doesn't have a huge number of defensive midfield options, and the fact Wing plays deepest allows two of Elliott, Knibbs and Savage to start in front of him.

Elliott and Knibbs are often the two first-team starters in front of Wing - and that's no surprise - with both making some valuable contributions this season and showing real class in the final third.

But this has often led to Savage being excluded from the first XI and that's a blow for the Welshman, who scored some important goals against Wigan Athletic and Crawley Town this season but has been unable to retain a starting spot.

Savage has shown that he can be an asset in the third tier, but he needs regular game time if he wants to have the best chance of fulfilling his potential.

He may have started some games this term and will continue to do so, with the Royals still in three competitions at the time of writing.

But the midfielder can't settle for being a bench option in some league games, even if he's rotated into the starting lineup fairly regularly.

The problem he has is the fact he has two excellent midfielders to compete with for a starting spot.

Knibbs looks at home more centrally and having seen him struggle out wide, Selles won't be keen to play him as a winger.

He did play out wide against Crawley but wasn't as effective there, and he should remain in the middle, potentially allowing Campbell and Akande to start in the wide areas.

Scoring some very important goals since his arrival in 2023, it would be difficult to see him being dropped anytime soon.

Elliott, meanwhile, is a talented young midfielder who has a very high ceiling, showing his class and adding goal contributions to his game this season.

Savage needs to show that he can be just as valuable as Elliott if he wants to start regularly.