'Deal ageed' - Former Newcastle United favourite Matt Ritchie to complete move from Portsmouth to Reading 'in next 24 hours'
Matt Ritchie is closing in on his much-anticipated move from Pompey to Reading
A deal to allow Matt Ritchie to swap Pompey for League One Reading has reportedly been agreed.
After The News revealed earlier this month that the Royals were offering the 35-year-old a route out of Fratton Park, it’s now been claimed that all details of the propsoed switch have been accepted by all the parties involved.
That’s according to Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, who on Wednesday afternoon reported that the formalities of the move ‘should be completed in the next 24 hours’.
If that’s the case, Ritchie will become Reading’s 12th signing of the summer transfer window following Rob Couhig’s successful takeover of the previously financial-striken side.
Upon his Select Car Leasing Stadium arrival, he’ll be reunited with former Pompey team-mates Mark O’Mahony - who has arrived on loan from Brighton - and Paddy Lane, following his permanent switch to the Berkshire outfit at the end of July.
It’s The News’ understanding that Ritchie, who had a year remaining on his Fratton Park contract, will make the move to Reading on a free transfer. However, he’ll join the Royals with the Blues not obligated to pay up the remaining months of his PO4 deal.
Noel Hunt’s side are currently 23rd in the Championship table and without a win in their first five games of the new League One season. Yet they find themselves in the third round of the Carabao Cup followng their 2-1 victory over Pompey at Fratton Park and Tuesday night’s 2-1 success over AFC Wimbledon.
Why Matt Ritchie is leaving Pompey
A product of Pompey’s academy system. Ritchie returned to Fratton Park last summer on a free transfer from Premier League Newcastle United.
Signing a two-year deal, the Gosport-born ace went on to make 41 appearances for John Mousinho’s side as they managed to secure their Championship status for another year with two games of the season to spare.
Twenty-nine of those outings came in the way of starts, with the former Bournemouth winger also chipping in with five goals and an assist.
Despite establishing himself as key member of the team, though, Ritchie was told during the summer that he would not be guaranteed regular minutes in a new-look Pompey squad.
As a result, it was mutually agreed that he could once again leave the club in search of game time - a decision that saw him play no part on any of the Blues’ pre-season programme or travel to Slovakia for the first-team’s training camp
The Blues have since brought in Florian Bianchini (Swansea) and Minhyeok Yang (Spurs) on loan to operate down the wings. Fellow new arrival Adrian Segecic has also played there this season. Yet Pompey remain keen on strengthening their options on the right flank - something they have been forging away with irrespective of Callum Lang’s hamstring injury that will keep him out for between 8-12 weeks.
Harvey Blair also remains out with a hamsting problem - something he picked up on the final day of the season when he was chosen to play ahead of Ritchie in the Fratton Park fixture against Hull. That will now be considered Ritchie’s 51st and final game for Pompey, having made 10 appearances for the club at the beginning of his 13-year playing career.
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