ANDY Griffin's proposed move to Reading has taken a twist after the influential right-back revealed he will put his family's interests first.

Griffin was a massive hit with Royals' fans during a successful loan spell from January until the end of the season.

But while the 31-year-old says he would seriously consider a permanent transfer to the Madejski Stadium, he accepts there are a number of hurdles to overcome, not least a substantial fee as he has two years left on his Potters contract.

The biggest stumbling block appears to be the welfare of his young family who have followed him around the country during spells with Newcastle United and Portsmouth but are now settled in Barlaston near Stoke.

Griffin said: "The family is in Stoke, the children go to school around the corner, so I don't want to uproot the family.

"I'd have to look at Reading. The location is not perfect, but if that one was to progress further then it's something I would have to take into consideration.

"The bottom line for me is that I want to play football and I've got to say I enjoyed doing that again while I was at Reading."

Griffin had not played a first-team game in almost a year when he first came to Reading in January. The experienced full-back admitted regular football, especially in a winning side, gave him a 'new lease of life,' while his work with the young players in Reading's dressing room also struck a chord with the club's management staff.

"Reading manager Brian McDermott has said he would like me back and has let that be known," added Griffin.

"He knows me as a character and what kind of player I am, but we will have to wait and see what happens on that one.

"I'm not going to just dismiss an offer from them, but I'm not sure what will happen over the summer. I'll stay by the telephone and wait and see."

Royals are thought to have made Griffin an attractive offer and McDermott is not expecting an immediate answer.

However, he wants all his summer signings on board before they embark on pre-season tour to Slovenia on July 12.

If the Griffin move falls through, Royals do have alternative options in Julian Kelly and Shaun Cummings while Brynjar Gunnarsson and Jay Tabb have also played there.

However, McDermott clearly sees Griffin as his number one choice: "That's still ongoing, we're still talking and we're locked in negotiations," he explained.

"I would love him to come to us and we will have to see what happens. But Andy knows my feelings and so do Stoke.

"There are a lot of factors to consider not least his young family. He has a lot of things to weigh up but he knows where I stand. He'll make his own decision but at the moment he's a Stoke player and there are a lot of things to sort out."

Meanwhile, McDermott confirmed former Blackburn loan defender Zurab Khizanishvili will not return to Reading.

"He's back at Blackburn and I don't expect to see him with us again," he stated. "It's sad because he was an excellent player for Reading while he was here."