News and Views
Blackman To Join Derby In 3 Million Deal
05 January 2016
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading's top goal scorer Nick Blackman is set to join Championship rivals Derby County after they appeared to have provided both Reading FC and the player a better deal than Sheffield Wednesday offered.
Blackman now appears highly unlikely to be staying at Reading and is expected to sign for the Rams tomorrow for an initial transfer fee of 2.5 million, which could rise up to 3 million pounds. It appears to be a very good deal for a player that has only recently made a serious impact at Reading. Blackman will be offered a three and a half year contract with Derby to keep him there until the summer of 2019. It's the kind of offer that Blackman would find very difficult to refuse.
Over half of fans on the Hob Nob Anyone? poll think Reading are right to take the money for Blackman while they can. Although Blackman has been excellent this season, he only has a matter of months left on his contract at Reading. As the club have been unable to arrange a new deal with the player they ran the risk of seeing Blackman leave on a free transfer in the summer. Rather than get nothing, and seeing him leave regardless, the club have made the decision to get some cash while they can. Blackman will certainly be missed after his impressive run of form this season. However, Reading manager Brian McDermott will now expect to have additional funds to strengthen his squad elsewhere and also source a goal-scoring replacement.
Should the transfer go through as expected tomorrow then Blackman will have a quick reunion with his current team mates. Reading's next Championship match is at Derby County next Tuesday, 12 January. It will be interesting to see if Reading are active in the transfer market between now and then or if they will go into that fixture with a weakened squad as Blackman hopes to continue banging in the league goals - starting against his old side.
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