Reading FC are on the brink of re-signing left-back Baba Rahman on a season long loan from Chelsea.
The summer transfer window comes to a close on Thursday with the Royals still in the hunt to sign a full-back before the deadline shuts.
Reading currently only have one senior left-back in their squad after signing 22-year-old Nesta Guiness-Walker earlier in the window.
The 28-year-old defender is seeking a new club in hope of making Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking after the defeat to Sheffield United on Tuesday evening, Reading manager Paul Ince said: “We’re just waiting on a few documents from Chelsea so I am hoping by Wednesday morning he will be training which will be great.
“It has been a long process and I’ve had agents galore throwing left-backs at me. but I said I needed to wait. The problem with Chelsea is that they were waiting to see if clubs were signing their players.
“Baba has two years left on his contract and there were offers for him from abroad but he wanted to stay here.
“He knows how I work. He knows my standards and demands so it’s an easy place for him to come and I can’t wait to see him again, fingers crossed.
“Baba will give us that balance. Junior Hoilett has done ever so well but playing him as a left wing-back has been tough for him. But he has been brilliant so I’m not going to complain.
“Baba gives us that balance and then I can start looking at what I can do up top because I think we need to do a lot more up top.”
Rahman is still under contract with Chelsea but has reportedly been training with the team’s academy side and has not been issued a squad number for this season.
While Chelsea are keen to sell the player, Reading would not be in a position to permanently purchase the player due to their transfer embargo unless his contract is terminated by the Blues.
Rahman spent the 2021/22 season on loan from Chelsea with the Royals and played 29 times in the Championship as the club narrowly escaped relegation from the Championship.
The Ghanian has had a series of loan spells since joining Chelsea from Augsburg in 2015.
He managed to make 15 Premier League appearances for the Blues in 2015/16, but hasn’t appeared since and has been shipped out on loan several times.
Rahman has had three separate loan spells with Bundesliga side Schalke 04, French side Reims, Spanish team Mallorca and Greek side PAOK before his season in Berkshire.
He has been linked with a move to West Brom this summer, but it now appears that he is in favour of a return to the Royals.
