Paudie O’Connor of Lincoln City is expected to be Reading FC’s first acquisition of the summer transfer window.
The 27-year-old centre returned on a free transfer after the Royals defeated competition from many League One clubs.
The Royals have offered the defender a three-year contract.
Lincoln reportedly offered their captain a new contract because they were “desperate” to keep him on board, but he has chosen to pursue a new endeavour in Berkshire instead.
According to FootyInsider24/7’s football transfer journalist Pete O’Rourke, O’Connor will have a medical examination at Reading today before finalising his deal.
Last season, he played 39 games for Lincoln in League One, where they finished in 11th place.
He earned praise throughout his three seasons with Lincoln as they conceded the second fewest goals of any team in the league in the 2023/24 campaign.
Having spent three seasons in League One with Lincoln, the 6ft3’ defender has also played for Leeds United, Blackpool and Bradford City.
Reading chairman Rob Couhig said: “Paudie was always the person we expected to sign at this point. It was important for us to get Lewis, Joel, and now Paudie, because it demonstrates to the lads in the club our commitment, it demonstrates to our fans our commitment, and lets the league at large know that we’re here to play.
“One of the things that I like so much about working with Joe and Noel is that we all value the same things. We want guys of strong character who bring more to the dressing room than simply the ability to kick a ball – and he does that in spades! He’s a heck of a player, so the combination of the two equates to the ideal Reading player.
“I’m really looking forward to the next couple of weeks as more people are added to the club, as people begin to understand our commitment is real – we can do this with honesty, transparency and financial sustainability always at the forefront.”
First Team Manager, Noel Hunt, added: “Paudie is a fantastic lad and will be a big character in the dressing room, he’s exactly the type of person we want at our Football Club for our rebuild. He’s been a huge part of Lincoln’s success over the past three years.
“We’ve had our eyes on him for a while, I’ve been a big admirer of his for some time. I knew about him when he was in the Leeds setup, and I can’t wait to work with him on a day to day basis.”
