Josh Laurent is set to sign on a free transfer at Stoke City when his Reading FC contract expires, according to reports.
The 27-year-old, who joined the Royals in 2020 on a free transfer from Shrewsbury, is expected to sign with fellow Championship club Stoke.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the midfielder will complete his move to the Potters in the next week.
Laurent is just one of several senior players out of contract at Reading this month with the current squad set for an overhaul.
However, Paul Ince and his recruitment staff face a tricky test due to being under a transfer embargo which will limit them to signing free agents and loan players.
Laurent signed for Reading under Mark Bowen, who was manager at the time and is now back at the Royals as Head of Football Operations.
Laurent quickly became an integral part of the team as Veljko Paunovic’s team made a strong push for the top six in his first campaign with the club.
They eventually missed out on the play-offs, but Laurent enjoyed an exceptional season which saw him play 45 out of the 46 league games in that season, with three goals to his name.
Laurent’s efforts in his debut season didn’t go unnoticed as he was awarded as Reading’s Player of the Season.
Last season was trickier for both Laurent and the team as he had to fill in at the back being deployed as a centre back as Paunovic tried to cope with an injury crisis.
Laurent played 27 Championship games last season as the Royals narrowly survived relegation under Ince where he scored a vital winner in the run-in with a sublime strike which saw Reading beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0 in March.
Amid interest from Stoke, Laurent has been offered a contract extension with the Royals.
