Portsmouth keen on transfer swoop for League One ace
06/05/2024 09:19
Portsmouth are interested in a move for Reading midfielder Michael Craig, according to a report by Football Insider.
Portsmouth are keen on luring the youngster to Fratton Park ahead of next season as they prepare for life in the Championship next season following their League One title win.
Craig, 21, joined the Royals back in 2022 and has been a key player for them in the middle of the park over recent times.
Football Insider claim the Berkshire outfit could face a battle to keep hold of him over the coming months though with John Mousinho ‘plotting’ a swoop for him as he looks to bolster his ranks.
Portsmouth published their retained list last week and announced that the likes of Joe Rafferty, Sean Raggett, Lee Evans, Josh Martin and Matt Macey will be heading out the exit door as free agents which has cleared room for plenty of new faces.
Portsmouth eye Reading man
Portsmouth could see Craig as someone to add more competition and depth to their options in the middle of the park.
At the age of just 21, he has the potential to grow and develop in the future and may be have been identified as a useful long-term option.
The Scotland youth international was on the books at Watford before joining Tottenham Hotspur as a teenager back in 2015. He then rose up through the ranks of the Premier League outfit and went on to become a regular for them at various different youth levels.
Craig made the bench for Spurs in a Europa Conference League clash away at Paços de Ferreira in Portugal but never made a senior appearance for the London club in the end.
He was given the green light to head out the exit door on a permanent basis in 2022 and Reading secured his signature.
His switch to the Select Car Leasing Stadium has worked out well for him as it has given him the chance to get regular football under his belt despite his young age.
Craig has made 41 appearances for the Royals in all competitions to date, 36 of which came in this past campaign.
Long-term option for Portsmouth?
Portsmouth need to ensure that they get their recruitment spot on this summer as they look to be a force to be reckoned with next term in the second tier.
They will be eager to carry on their momentum from their promotion into next season, just like Ipswich Town did under Kieran McKenna, and Craig is a target who could potentially initially provide competition and depth in midfield before nailing down a starting role down the line.
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