Reading boss Paul Ince has revealed that out-of-contract favourites Yakou Meite and Lucas Joao would like to stay at the club.

Meite, the longest-serving player, has scored almost 50 goals for the club since arriving in 2016 and is a firm fan favourite for his infectious energy and personality.

Joao, arriving for a reported £5m in 2019, is one of the most prolific Royals strikers of the 21st century, hitting over 40 league goals in four years.

 

Neither as successful this campaign as in the past, with just nine goals between them, supporters would be keen to see both extend their stays in Berkshire.

Speaking ahead of the Easter weekend double header, Ince said: "The ones who are out of contract, say Yak and Lucas, they want to stay here and be here. When you get to this situation, you want to earn a new contract or go away and your agents on the phone. I've spoken to Yak and I’ve spoken to Lucas, they want to fight and stay at this club, and earn a contract. There’s only one way to do that, it’s being on the field and showing what you can do. Even if they didn’t want to be here, I'd still play them because they’re very good players and I need them.  "

Touching more in-depth on Joao, who arrived from Sheffield Wednesday and has been a highly sought-after striker in the Championship, Ince is hoping the run-in is where the Angolan steps up.

After netting the equaliser on Saturday against Bristol City, the boss wants to see more from him.

"I've had a good chat with him, one-on-one, and he seems to be in a better place. You look in the training ground and on the pitch, he’s right up for this. Thomas and Lucas have got a competition about being the top scorer and I think Thomas being out has given him a little bit of a boost. He's a natural goal scorer, probably the only one we’ve got in the team. He knows that he is important for these players because we want to stay in this league. It's important that the likes of Yaks and Lucas, who are coming to the end of their contracts, if they want to stay here for the next two or three years then it will have to be in the Championship. They've got something to fight for, as we all have. Lucas is the one, alongside AC and Yak, that can keep us up. We need goals, and hopefully he’s the solution."