‘Still our player’: Reading boss’ clear transfer message over reported Portsmouth and Sheffield United target Harvey Knibbs

Noel Hunt has made it clear Harvey Knibbs is ‘still a Reading player’ amid heavy Championship interest in the winger.

Indeed, speculation over the 26-year-old’s future will no doubt be fuelled further on Saturday, with the Royals boss confirming the reported Pompey target will miss their pre-season friendly against the Blues at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The former Aston Villa talent is believed to be on the radar of John Mousinho’s side as well as Sheffield United and Oxford United.

Knibbs has also been at the centre of unsubstantiated links with a move to Pompey on social media, with the Fratton faithful sent into a frenzy after a photo was posted on X on Thursday, with some believing he was at The Village Hotel in Cosham.

But Hunt has reiterated the in-demand forward remains with the Berkshire outfit and continues to train as he returns from a knock, which was sustained at the back-end of last term.

Why Harvey Knibbs will miss Pompey game amid interest

Former Pompey striker Hunt, who is now in charge of the Royals, told the Reading Chronicle: ‘Harvey is still our player and here, training on the grass. He is in full training but spoke to the physios and he’s not quite ready to be involved at the weekend but as far as I’m aware, and I’ve not been told any different, he’s still a Reading player.

‘If something is going to happen, I would rather it happen earlier so we can plan in terms of getting the squad that is going to be here as tight as possible. If it is going to happen, it has to happen in the next week or so or we will plan for him to be here and keep him.’

Knibbs has been the subject of interest throughout the week, with Hunt confirming there were clubs keen to land the forward this summer.

The Royals ace netted 16 goals and provided four assists in League One last term, which has alerted a number of Championship clubs as he enters the final 12 months of his current deal.

Reports elsewhere claimed Pompey were in the race to sign the former Nottingham Forest talent along with rivals Oxford United and Sheffield United.

After missing Reading’s friendly against Spurs last week as he continued his recovery from a knock, Hunt revealed there is interest from the second tier in his star man.

To subscribe to The Portsmouth News’ Pompey coverage and more click here

Noel Hunt confirms Championship interest in Harvey Knibbs

‘Harvey is coming back from injury,’ said Hunt.

‘Obviously, we’ve had interest for Harv, but we have to wait and see what happens with how he feels. When a Championship club comes, it’s easy to catch the eye.

‘He is our player. If someone scores 16 goals in a season, then the bid has to be good and worth it. We have made it clear to Harv that if a bid comes in that is substantial to take him away, fair enough. If not, he won’t be going.’

‘He was only back on the grass the day before yesterday, he had a bone bruising on the foot since Bristol Rovers last year which he struggled with in the Barnsley game.

‘It hadn’t shifted over the summer, and he had an injection- last Monday it started to break up and free a little bit. He was on the grass yesterday in the passing drill so he’s two or three weeks behind everyone else.’

Your next Pompey read: No emotional Portsmouth reunion for Wales international Joe Morrell after Reading set-back