GEORGE Evans has been left out of Reading FC’s matchday squad ahead of his proposed move to Sunderland AFC.

Royals are believed to have accepted a six-figure bid of around £250,000 from League One Black Cats for the 23-year-old and he has not been selected to face Rubin Kazan.

Evans, who has one year left on his contract, is away with Paul Clement’s first-team squad for pre-season training in Austria.

He was on the bench for Tuesday’s encouraging 2-2 draw with Besiktas but did not feature, fuelling speculation he is set to join Jack Ross’ Sunderland when Royals return to the UK this Saturday.

Evans played a bit-part role in Royals’ disappointing season last time round, having suffered an injury early on, making 23 appearances across the Championship campaign.

He fell out of favour when Clement replaced Jaap Stam in March, with the new boss seemingly intent on using experience to save Royals from relegation.

Now Reading are thought to be keen to cash-in on the midfielder, who joined from Manchester City in January 2016 when Brian McDermott was in charge.

Royals fans have since hit out at the club’s decision to sell the Manchester-born midfielder via social media.

One supporter stated: “Has so much potential and has proven to be good enough to play at this level. Distraught.”

Another said: “Why are we selling him? Good enough to be a squad player at least?”

Meanwhile, Joey van den Berg’s loan move to FC Utrecht appears to have stalled over wage concerns.

The Dutchman has drawn plenty of interest from his homeland and did not travel to Austria with the rest of the group after being told he can leave the club this summer.

Clement also hinted he is still looking to add another striker to his squad to partner Marc McNulty who joined from League One Coventry City for more than £1million last week.

Brighton & Hove forward Sam Baldock, 29, and Barnsley and Wales hitman, Tom Bradshaw, 25, have also been linked with Royals.

Clement said: “We move into a critical period now where we’re looking to do something in the striker position.

“Hopefully that’ll be more than one player. We have been working all summer on this.

“Now we start to deal with players where transfer fees are involved and it starts to get a bit more complicated.

“But we’re very confident that we are going to bring in one or two really good players in the centre-forward position.”