Reading have added defensive cover ahead of the new campaign, bringing in Josh Knight on a season-long loan from Portsmouth, the club confirmed on 28 August.
A defender who knows the third tier
Knight, 28, arrives at Select Car Leasing Stadium with a well-stocked League One CV. The former Leicester City academy product made 141 appearances across two separate spells at Peterborough United, covering stints between 2018 and 2020 and again from 2021 to 2024, operating across the Championship and League One during that period. He also featured 37 times in the second tier for Wycombe Wanderers in 2020-21.
Most recently Knight joined Portsmouth from German club Hannover 96 in the summer of 2025, but his time at Fratton Park was disrupted by a back injury sustained in November that restricted him to just 14 Championship appearances across the campaign. According to the BBC report, he has since returned to full fitness and was already involved with Portsmouth ahead of this move.
Richardson's verdict
Reading manager Leam Richardson was enthusiastic about what Knight brings to the dressing room, telling the club's official website: "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."
Richardson added: "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."
The emphasis on leadership and composure in possession is consistent with Richardson's broader recruitment approach at Reading this term. Knight has accumulated 248 senior career appearances and, according to the BBC, has contributed 16 goals from central defence across that time, a respectable return for a player in his position.
What this means for Reading's squad
The Royals have moved to strengthen their defensive options at a point in the window when squad depth becomes critical. Reading have already added several names since the summer, and the arrival of Knight on a full season's loan gives Richardson a defender who can step in with minimal bedding-in period, given his familiarity with the demands of third-tier football.
At 28, Knight is in the prime years of a career that has been spent predominantly in the Championship and League One. A loan of this length, rather than a short-term arrangement, suggests Reading see him as a genuine first-team option rather than a stopgap, though the structure of the agreement beyond the basic season-long term has not been disclosed in the source reporting.
Portsmouth will hope that regular third-tier minutes help Knight rediscover full sharpness after his injury-interrupted season, with his parent club retaining his registration should they require him in the long term. For Reading, though, the deal looks straightforward: an experienced, ball-playing defender, available now, with a proven record in the division they are seeking to climb.
Frequently asked
- How long is Josh Knight's loan at Reading?
- Knight has joined Reading on a season-long loan from Portsmouth, covering the full 2026-27 campaign.
- Where did Josh Knight play before Portsmouth?
- Knight had two separate spells at Peterborough United, a stint with Wycombe Wanderers, and a period in Germany with Hannover 96 before joining Portsmouth in the summer of 2025.
- Why did Josh Knight leave Portsmouth?
- Knight made only 14 appearances for Portsmouth last season after suffering a back injury in November. A season-long loan to Reading gives him regular playing time while he is fully fit again.