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Breaking: Reading FC’s £2 Million Star Targeted by Portsmouth – Fans Beg Club to Keep Him
Michael Craig, a midfielder for Reading FC, is a target for Portsmouth this summer. The recently promoted Championship team is reportedly considering signing the 21-year-old in the upcoming transfer window, according to Football Insider.
Craig left Tottenham Hotspur in 2022 to join the Royals after failing to make an impression in North London. He didn’t really establish himself as a regular in the Royals lineup until 2023–24, mostly because of his appearances for the under-21 team during his first season in Berkshire.
The Barnet native made 28 appearances in League One when the Berkshire team fought to avoid dropping to the fourth division. He was a consistent starter, particularly around the midway point of the season when Rubén Sellés’ team came in at number 17 in the standings.
Johnny Hunt, a FLW fan commentator from Reading, questions Craig’s readiness to face in the Championship at this time. In any case, the Royals supporter hopes that Sellés will keep the 21-year-old in his lineup past this season. Hunt said Football League World, “Michael Craig has been an outstanding talent for Reading this season.”
“I think he’s still a little bit inconsistent at his age, but he could definitely play in the Championship.”If Portsmouth wants to advance in the Championship, I believe they will be searching for someone with a little bit more experience.
“I would not want to see him leave Reading because there is potential there with the squad we have to really build something special, as we’ve had this season, and he is part of that,” the player said. “I could see him playing as a squad player for them.”
“He was thrown into the deep end due to the disarray within the club, and he’s still learning his craft.”
Hunt maintained his want to see Craig stay with the Royals for the upcoming season, but he thinks the Scot has the potential to be worth a seven-figure sum.
“It’s such a hard thing to call, valuation-wise—who knows what footballers are worth these days?” he continued.
“He wouldn’t go for cheap, if he did go… £2 million?
“We cannot sell our players; instead, we must resolve the ownership issues as quickly as possible in order to resolve the contracts for these players and consider developing a real strategy for the future. “I hope he stays, and I don’t think he’s ready to be playing in the top half of the Championship just yet. I want him to stay.”
Discussions about Reading these days are dominated by the Dai Yongge ownership crisis, and Craig’s future is no exception.
This summer’s big player sales should be avoided by the team because there’s no assurance that the proceeds will be used to bolster the roster.
In many ways, it will be best if Reading can change hands as quickly as possible, but it will also facilitate summer window preparation.
Even though the youngster is already attracting interest from championship teams, he might think about spending another season in League One to further his growth.
If Portsmouth want to contend at the Championship level, they will need to make some improvements this summer, chief among them being to their engine room.
Given that Alex Robertson returned to Manchester City after his loan expired and Marlon Pack and Joe Morrell are both out of contract—despite talks to extend their stay at Fratton Park—it seems natural that John Mousinho is considering his options in the midfield.
Craig, on the other hand, might not be prepared for championship football, and if he were to sign with Pompey, he probably would be signing for the future rather than the here and now. However, if that were the case, it’s unlikely that the South Coast team would pay anywhere close to the £2 million that Johnny believes Craig is worth.
As a result, it’s possible that the Scotland youth international will choose to stay at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and continue to grow there.
