Sky Bet Championship side Reading have won the race to sign free agent midfielder John Swift. The former Chelsea man, and current England Under-21 star, has penned a three-year contract at the Madejski Stadium.
He spent time in the Championship last season whilst on loan at Brentford. He went on to play 27 times for the Bees, scoring a handy seven goals in return. He becomes the latest signing of the Jaap Stam era with the Royals.
Speaking on the news of his most recent capture, Dutchman Stam feels Swift is a player set for a very bright future in the game,
“John is a very talented player. I’ve seen him play and I think he could be very important in the way we want to play.
“He can play as a winger on either side, or as an attacking midfielder. His physique is good, he is good on the ball, he has the pace to get past players, and he has the capability of putting his teammates in front of goal with chances to score. He is going to be a big asset for the club.”
The 21-year-old has represented England from Under-16 to Under-21 level. He was part of Gareth Southgate’s squad which won the Toulon Tournament earlier this summer. In addition to this, he has also won the Under-21 title and Youth Cup trophies whilst at Chelsea.
Chief Executive Nigel Howe describes Swift as ‘a talented midfielder with a lot of potential’.
