League One Reading are preparing an ambitious bid for a Championship midfielder who made 39 league appearances last season.
The Royals started their new campaign with a 2-0 defeat away at Lincoln City. It’s likely not the start manager Noel Hunt would’ve wanted as they aim to break into the top six after just missing out last season.
With the transfer market still open, Reading still have the chance to improve their squad.
One player they’re planning on making a move for is Portsmouth midfielder Matt Ritchie.
Reading Want Matt Ritchie
Neil Allen for The News shared that Pompey midfielder Ritchie is attracting interest from League One side Reading. He confirmed that the Royals have held talks with the Scottish midfielder.
There is interest from other Championship teams, but Reading are looking to beat other sides to the signing of Ritchie.
The same outlet reported in July that it had been agreed by Portsmouth and Ritchie that his time at the club had come to an end.
Ritchie’s Performances Last Season
Despite being allowed to leave this summer, Ritchie was a key part of the Portsmouth squad last season.
He featured in 39 Championship games, starting 28 of those games. Ritchie averaged 57 minutes per game and received a Sofascore average rating of 6.87 – the sixth highest in the squad last season.
Despite only registering one assist last season in the league, Ritchie was a key part of the attacking play. His six big chances created and 1.1 key passes per game were the second highest in both categories for the club.
Ritchie finished the season with five goals for Pompey. This was backed up with 1.1 shots per game and 0.4 shots on target per game.
Is This a Good Move?
Ritchie appears to be on the hunt for more first-team minutes. He has options in the Championship, but dropping to League One could be good for him.
He’ll likely get regular minutes at Reading, a team expected to challenge for the play-offs at the very least, a prospect that will likely be enticing to him.
For Reading, they’ll be getting a player with experience in both the Premier League and Championship. That sort of experience and leadership could be crucial as they look to return to the second tier.
