Reading are attempting to hijack Fulham’s January swoop for Stoke City’s Steve Sidwell.
The Potters outcast emerged as a Whites target last week as the Championship side look to bring him back to Craven Cottage.
However, the Royals, another of Sidwell’s former clubs, are now also plotting a loan move for the midfielder.
Sidwell, 33, has not featured for Stoke in the Premier League since August and is free to move. He is well down the pecking order and is weighing up dropping back down to the Championship.
Sidwell left Fulham for the Potteries two years ago but is wanted back to help new boss Slavisa Jokanovic move out of trouble, according to The Mirror.
The 33-year-old was Fulham’s top scorer during the 2013-14 campaign, netting seven times from midfield, but couldn’t prevent the club slipping out of the Premier League.
A free transfer to Stoke followed that summer but he has become frustrated with life in Staffordshire and would be an open to moving back to west London to be with his family.
But Reading have also indicted they are keen to add their former favourite’s experience to their engine room and the Berkshire location would also suit the experienced campaigner.
