Reported Portsmouth and Oxford United forward target Harvey Knibbs being pursued by big-spending Championship newcomers Charlton Athletic
Reported Pompey target Harvey Kibbs is attracting interest from a big-spending Championship rival
Reported Portsmouth target Harvey Knibbs could become new Championship rivals Charlton Athletic’s ninth signing of the summer transfer window.
According to dedicated Addicks reporter Richard Cawley, last season’s League One play-off final winners are actively pursuing a move for the Reading forward - who played no part in the Royals’ defeat to Pompey on Saturday.
The latest news has emerged after Reading boss Noel Hunt admitted, following his side’s 4-0 defeat to the Blues, that the 26-year-old asked not to be involved in the pre-season friendly and that a move to a Championship club was ‘nearly done.’
As well as Pompey, Sheffield United and Oxford United have been credited with an interest in Knibbs, who scored 14 goals and registered six assists in the third tier last season.
Now Charlton have emerged as serious players for the former Cambridge United man’s signature, with Nathan Jones determined to assemble a squad that can compete at Championship level.
Charlton Athletic splash cash on Championship return
That Addicks squad rebuild has seen the Valley outfit raid League One for some of its top players this summer.
Sonny Carey and Rob Apter were both poached from Blackpool, Stockport’s Tanto Olaofe was recruited from Stockport County, Thomas Kaminski has been signed from Luton Town, while last season’s 23-goal golden boot winner Charlie Kelman arrived from QPR over the weekend.
A fee in excess of £3m was reportedly agreed for Kelman, who was on loan at the division’s surprise package last season, Leyton Orient. Yet that wasn’t a one-off seven-figure outlay, with winger Apter costing around £2.5m, striker Olaofe arriving for a fee in the region of £1.5m and keeper Kaminski costing approximately £1m.
Indeed, since their return to the Championship was confirmed, it’s estimated that Charlton have spent over £8.2m on new players, with Joe Rankin-Costello (Blackburn), Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke (both Luton) also making the switch to south London this summer.
With Knibbs having less than a year remaining on his existing contract, Flashscore.co.uk value the player at around £615,000, which definately is at the lower end of Charlton’s spending in the current transfer window.
Pompey remain in market for wingers
Pompey remain in the hunt for wingers this summer, with the right-wing position a priority.
Matt Ritchie has been told he’s free to leave the club after being told he wouldn’t be a guaranteed starter for the Blues this season. Meanwhile, former Liverpool youngster Harvey Blair is yet to feature in pre-season to date as he still recovers from the hamstring injury he picked up on the final day of the season against Hull.
Callum Lang featured wide right for the Blues at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday - and while he scored in that game, a central attacking midfield role is still considered his best position.
Pompey, who signed central midfield duo Mark Kosznovszky and Luke Le Roux on Friday, also want a player who can operate out on the left wing and provide back-up for 2024-25 player of the season Josh Murphy.
Right-footed Knibbs would be an attractive proposition for the Blues, with the forward comfortable operating down both flanks.
Reading resigned to losing reported Pompey and Charlton target
Wherever Knibbs ends up this season, Reading are already resigned to losing a player who scored 25 league goals and provided 12 assists following his arrival from Cambridge United in 2023.
Speaking to Reading’s in-house media team after Saturday’s defeat to Pompey, Hunt was asked whether a knock picked up by Knibbs was the reason behind his absence.
Yet the former Blues striker admitted that was not the case. He said: ‘No, it wasn’t (because of the injury). There have been talks between us and another club and unfortunately we think it’s nearly done.
‘They’ve come to an agreement so Harvey pulled himself out of the squad, which is his right but we’ll see what happens over the next 24 hours.’