Madejski, who admits his primary focus will shift to getting the Royals back into the top flight should they fail to avoid relegation on Sunday, believes a billionaire investor could be required to take the team to the next level.

"I think clubs have to have ambition and my ambition would be, if we're lucky enough to stay in the Premiership, to be even more earnest about trying to find a billionaire to take over Reading so that we can join the elite clubs," Madejski told The Guardian.

"This is my 19th year and obviously I will stay as long as I have to. But, if I could find a suitable buyer that had very deep pockets and who had the right intentions, then I would be happy to step down."

Manager Steve Coppell is another whose future is unclear after he refused to confirm he would be at the club next season, but he has Madejski's support.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But as we speak he has got a year left on his contract and, as far as I am concerned, he will honour that," he added.