Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has labelled Rob Couhig's potential takeover of Reading 'good news for fans' on his award-winning podcast.

Maguire, a Football Finance lecturer at Liverpool University and co-host of the Price of Football podcast has kept a keen eye on all things Dai Yongge as the Chinese businessman became progressively more of a 'wrong'un' as his seven-year reign went on.

However, there is cause for optimism among supporters as 75-year-old Couhig, who formerly owned near-neighbours Wycombe Wanderers, edges towards a takeover in Berkshire.

"The latest that we are hearing is that there is a potential takeover, and the name is that of Rob Couhig, who used to own Wycombe Wanderers," Maguire said on his podcast. "Ironically, at one stage he was putting in a bid to buy Reading’s training ground but pulled out. There was a fairly hostile reaction from the Reading fans who seemed to think he was asset-stripping.

"We’ve had Rob on the show, some time ago, when he was in dispute with the administrators at Derby County. He’s an American lawyer and it is fair to say he is fairly combative- think of Andy Holt [outspoken owner of Accrington Stanley] with an American accent. Listening to Wycombe fans, they say there are pluses and minuses, but he’s always been upfront with them and that is what they have appreciated.

"From a Reading fan perspective, they want this issue of transparency and I think he will probably say what he means and means what he says. B- they’ll get a degree of certainty with regards to the future of the club.

(Image: jasonpix)

"My view has always been that Reading are quite an attractive proposition and I get regular calls from America to say ‘could you give us a list of three or four clubs that you think would be useful for acquisition’ because an American sports franchise is so prohibited and Reading have historically been on my list because they’re close to London with a relatively new ground, a solid fanbase and the opportunity to grow.

"I’m not surprised that there is now a bit of white smoke coming from the chimney. It is good news for the Reading fans, the Dai Yongge era has gone on for far too long."

Yongge, who has been in trouble with the EFL and the taxman in the last 12 months, is yet to publish the club's accounts for 2022/23.

The only club yet to do so, it could land the club a fine.