Reading have made their second defensive addition this week and seventh signing of the summer, today confirming the arrival of Josh Knight on a season-long loan from Portsmouth. The 28-year-old is a centre-back, but can also cover at right-back, where he played in pre-season for Pompey.
Leam Richardson said:
“Josh is a really strong addition for us and brings a lot of experience at this level and above. He’s a good defender first and foremost, but he’s also comfortable on the ball and gives us another
real leader within the group.
“He knows this league inside out, he’s had success in it before and he’s coming to us fit and ready to go, having been involved with Portsmouth already this season.
“We’ve spoken a lot about adding the right characters as well as quality to the squad, and Josh certainly fits that. He’s at a good age, he’s hungry to play football and we’re really pleased to have him with us for the season.”
What’s his story so far?
Knight came through the youth system of Leicester City, playing just once for the Foxes’ first team (nine minutes of League Cup action in 2017/18). He picked up much more extensive experience during a few loan spells further down the pyramid, with the first two of those coming at Peterborough United in League One.
Then came a move up to then-Championship side Wycombe Wanderers, with Knight spending the 2020/21 season on loan there. It was an excellent one for him personally, winning the Chairboys’ player of the season award, although the club were relegated to the third tier. (And yes, if you were wondering, he did overlap with Joe Jacobson and Rob Couhig’s spells at Wycombe during that season.)
Knight managed to stick around in the second tier however – by returning to Peterborough, this time on a permanent basis. Over the next three years he played 135 times in all competitions, initially in the Championship before relegation to League One, with Posh finishing in the playoffs twice (2022/23 and 2023/24) and winning the 2023/24 Pizza Vase.
The defender switched to Germany in the summer of 2024, signing for 2. Bundesliga side Hannover 96, where he played 24 times. Portsmouth snatched him up for £1m the following year, but he endured an injury-hit 2025/26 season, playing only 15 times.
He therefore brings a fair amount of experience at League One level and individual quality. His injury record from last season is a concern, but it’s probably also largely why he’s available on loan in the first place.
How does he fit in?
He should offer solid competition and cover for the main centre-back duo of Paudie O’Connor and Benn Ward. Knight will however have competition of his own, in the form of Conor Masterson, who arrived on a short-term deal this week after being released by Gillingham.
Further down the pecking order are academy graduates Boyd Beacroft, Abraham Kanu and Philip Duah. While all are talented in their own right, none have significant experience at League One level, so some could now be sent out on loan for regular game time.
That’ll probably be that for the Royals’ defensive reinforcements this window. Richardson can count on four main options at centre-back, three right-backs (summer arrival Udoka Godwin-Malife, as well as Ashqar Ahmed and Kelvin Abrefa) and at least two left-backs (Haydon Roberts and Jeriel Dorsett) – but more if you include Paddy Lane and John Ryan.
Attention now turns to bringing in another striker. Reading are yet to replace Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and have very conspicuously left the number nine shirt unfilled, so expect (fingers crossed) to see a centre-forward signed by the end of the transfer window.
