Centre-back Naby Sarr was aware of Championship side Reading's interest in him for a while and waited to see the other transfer business they conducted before deciding to join the Royals, according to journalist Courtney Friday.

The 28-year-old was released on the expiration of his contract at Huddersfield Town this summer following their play-off final defeat against Nottingham Forest, a potentially surprising departure for many who had seen him perform well during the 2021/22 campaign.

Despite the Terriers losing previous loanee Levi Colwill, they opted to release the Frenchman with the latter reportedly not being short of interest from other clubs in recent weeks.

 

 

Earlier this month, the Royals, Birmingham City and German outfit Kaiserslautern were all linked with the 28-year-old, with the latter two clubs having the advantage of not being under EFL restrictions.

As part of the business plan they agreed with the EFL last November following their breach of financial rules, Paul Ince's side have been limited to free agents and loan deals this summer.

Despite this, the Berkshire outfit have coped reasonably well, making seven signings already with Sarr and Mamadou Loum both closing to arriving at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

As per reporter Friday, Sarr had known about the Royals' interest in him for some time but waited for the club to complete some of their other incoming business before being persuaded to link up with the second-tier side.

The Verdict:

Considering he was competing at the right end of the table with the Terriers last term, this signing is a brilliant one for Ince's side if they can get it over the line, especially when you consider their restrictions.

They would benefit from having another central defender to provide their backline with a much-needed shake-up following their poor defensive record last term - and will be particularly useful with the club switching to a back three during pre-season.

At 28, he has at least a few years to give to the cause in Berkshire and if he can perform like he did last season, he could be one of the signings for the summer.

On a free transfer, this is a low-risk addition and with the club failing to get value for money on quite a few players in recent years, having someone who can contribute without costing them too much money will be a refreshing change.

From Sarr's point of view, you can understand why he wanted to bide his time before joining the Berkshire outfit though, because they have lost quite a few key players this summer and finished in 21st at the end of last term.