Portsmouth FC: Reading FC player eyed ahead of Championship return | OneFootball

The 2023/24 campaign proved to be a wildly successful one for Portsmouth.

In John Mousinho's first full season in charge at Fratton Park, Pompey have secured both promotion to the Championship and the League One title.

Finishing five points clear of Derby County in second, and ten clear of Bolton Wanderers in third, Portsmouth will now embark on their first season in the second tier of English football in over a decade.

Of course, the club's primary target next season over anything else will be to maintain that Championship status, and recruitment this summer will be crucial in helping them to potentially do so.

Pompey's transfer plans are already unfolding, though, with the club being linked with a player that has caught their eye in the third tier this season.

Portsmouth linked with Reading FC's Michael Craig

According to Football Insider, with promotion to the Championship confirmed, Portsmouth are plotting a move for Reading midfielder Michael Craig this summer.

Their report claims that Pompey are one of a number of clubs tracking the Royals' youngster ahead of the summer after an impressive season for his club.

Hoovering up talent from the third tier would appear to be part of the strategy for Portsmouth heading into the summer.

The links with Craig come after the club were also linked with Exeter City midfielder Reece Cole last month.

More established and ambitious targets such as Jamal Lowe and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi have also been linked with potential moves to Fratton Park this summer, however, so it is clear that the club are trying to strike a balance.names, such as Jamal Lowe.

Michael Craig's 2023/24 campaign

Former Tottenham Hotspur academy prospect Michael Craig joined Reading's youth set up in the summer of 2022, and following their drop to League One, has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in Berkshire.

With Reading boss Ruben Selles operating under difficult circumstances, he has been forced to make the most of those at his disposal, and Craig has impressed since coming into the side.

The 21-year-old's Reading debut came last season, making five substitute appearances under Paul Ince. However, Selles trusted him with his first start in the second round of the EFL Cup versus Ipswich and Craig has not looked back since.

Come the conclusion of the campaign, Craig has played a total of 36 times for Reading in all competitions in 2023/24, and having only turned 21 in April, there is clearly potential there for further improvement.