HOLMES PUTS PEN TO PAPER ON NEW ROYALS CONTRACT
READING FC defender
Tom Holmes has put pen to paper on a new deal with the club.
Holmes, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the month, has extended his stay with the Royals amid interest from other clubs.
Holmes is just one of several first-team players whose contracts are up for renewal this summer with the squad set for an overhaul despite the club being under a transfer embargo.
The 22-year-old joined Reading’s academy in 2008 and made his debut for the first-team in March 2018 in a 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers.
He became a firstteam regular under Veljko Paunovic in the 2020/21 season where he was deployed in his natural position at centre-back and also as a full-back.
Holmes made 39 appearances in 2020/21 and played 32 Championship games last season as the Royals narrowly avoided relegation.
The academy graduate netted his first goal for the club in December 2021 against Hull City with a stunning bicycle kick.
Newly promoted Nottingham Forest had reportedly been interested in signing Holmes last season but Reading remained reluctant to sell him despite their financial situation.
But the Royals have now fended off interest from other clubs to tie Holmes down to a new contract.
Holmes said: “I’m delighted to get it done.
It’s taken a while but I’m happy to finally get it signed and I can’t wait to get going.
“The club has got a lot to offer, it’s done a lot for me growing up and over the next few years we can really push on and achieve something special.
“I know it’s been quite hard over the last year or so, but I think after having conversations with the gaffer (Paul Ince), Mark Bowen and with Brian (Carey), I think there’s a real scope here for us to push on.
“It’s going to be hard this coming season but we’re all willing to put the work in and hopefully we can get the right players in and a few of the other lads put pen to paper like myself and get things going.
“I’m raring to come back now. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to the people around me, it means a lot to my family, my friends are delighted and I’m happy to still be here wearing the blue and white.”