Reading supporters group Sell Before We Dai have met the news that Genevra Associates are close to agreeing exclusivity to buy the club with 'cautious optimism.'

The European hedge fund, with links to a failing regime at Wigan Athletic, have not yet won around supporters since the Reading Chronicle broke the news on Monday evening.

Sell Before We Dai, the group behind protests to try and oust Dai Yongge, have published a statement revealing that they have been in conversations with Genevra Associates for months.

Spokesperson, Nick Houlton, said: " "Reports that Reading FC is on the brink of signing an exclusivity agreement with Genevra Associates are a welcome development, and we greet the news that Dai Yongge is close to selling with cautious optimism.

"We implore all sides to work tirelessly and in good faith to reach an agreement that benefits the Reading FC community as a whole – not just the individuals exchanging vast sums of money.

"Ever since Genevra Associates were first publicly mentioned in relation to buying the club, they have been in contact with fans via the Supporters’ Trust at Reading (STAR). This is a welcome change from what we’ve been used to under Dai, but it will not absolve them of scrutiny. We will continue to pressure the club and investors to be as transparent as possible with fans and start to undo the culture of silence curated by Dai’s appalling stewardship.

"Lastly, we call on the EFL to succeed where they have failed so many times before, including when Dai bought the club back in 2017. Reading fans are watching, football fans up and down the country are watching. Now is the time for them to prove their tests can be part of the solution to football’s ownership problem."

It is hoped that exclusivity will be granted this week, with a full takeover completed in time for the New Year.