LADY SASIMA SRIVIKORN admits the Thai consortium are struggling with the expense of running Reading.
Srivikorn joined the club in 2014 alongside co-owners Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth and Narin Niruttinanon but as revealed last night, Chinese duo Dai Yongge and Dai Xiu Li are set to buy 75% of the club after approval from the EFL.
The Thais will retain 25% which includes the hotel and land around the ground, but the Chinese brother and sister duo will run the club, subject to further checks from the league.
And speaking to the BBC, Srivikorn admitted a lack of funds was the main reason behind the decision to sell.
“Owning a football club is really something else I’ve never experienced in my entire life,” she said.
“It’s very, very expensive. If you don’t have very, very deep pockets then it’s not possible.
“We are struggling. Every month we have to put in more money and it’s a point where we couldn’t afford it comfortably anymore.”
Yongge and Xui Li were rumoured to be interested in buying Premier League club Hull City earlier this season before a deal fell through and they have been linked with the Royals for a number of months.
And Lady Sasima says they were not the first ones to show an interest in Reading.
“There have been lots of buyers coming around wanting to look at the club,” she said.
“I’ve seen almost 10. I’ve not seen Mr Dai or his sister myself, but I’ve heard about him and his business and what sort of a man he is from my business partner and we are all very happy about him.
“I’ve heard that they are very wealthy, have business worth more than 1 billion dollars and are good business people.”
There have been reports that a potential deal could be scuppered if the Premier League do not follow the EFL in approving the duo.
But Srivikorn moved to assure fans that if that does happen, the Thais will continue to fight on.
“We’ll find a way,” she said.
“We will have to put our heads together and find a way.
“I am not poor, we can find the money. But it’s not a very comfortable feeling to pump money in every month to get the club up to where we want it to be.
“We have to buy more experienced players. We have a wonderful manager and all of this is costly.”
Despite taking a big step closer to handing over control of the club, Srivikorn admits she has thoroughly enjoyed her time in charge so far.
“I do love it,” she said.
“I’m just too old for this sort of excitement!
“Every time we have a game, my heart is not normal. It’s really a very excitable event every single time.
“When we lost 7-1 I was so unhappy for the next few days and when we win I am so happy. It is up and down and I am too old for this.
“I am going to be 80 years old in October. It is a bit too much for me.”
