Chelsea FC Set To Sign Michael Hector From Reading FC
Chelsea FC have reportedly signed defender Michael Hector from Reading FC. The Blues were in search of defensive reinforcements after being rebuffed in their bids for Everton defender John Stones. They have since made three defensive signings in the transfer window with two centerbacks and one fullback coming to Stamford Bridge.
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The first was of course Abdul Rahman Baba from Augsburg, second was Papy Djilobodji of FC Nantes, and finally Michael Hector of Reading. Baba and Djilobdji are expected to contribute right away to the first team while Hector will remain on loan with The Royals for the remainder of the season.
Hector, a 23-year-old Jamaican international, has been at Reading since 2009 but has been loaned out an absurd 11 times in just five years. He has spent time at clubs such as, Barnet, Shrewsbury Town, Aldershot Town, and most recently with Aberdeen of the Scottish Premiership. To say he is well traveled would be an understatement as he has played in 10 leagues and three different countries, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
This signing comes as a bit of a surprise as few could have predicted that Hector would be making a move to a Premier League club as big as Chelsea FC. Even at the small fee of just £4m there are certainly other players that could have been on the Blues’ radar.
Still, this move makes more sense when reports that Hector was going to be loaned back to Reading rather than brought in to the Chelsea first team. It is a strange move to make on deadline day if it is simply a move for the future or even just to add some more money to Chelsea’s coffers if they sell him on later.
Hector is a big and strong centerback that measures in at 6’4″ and could potentially add more size to the Chelsea lineup in the future. He is also a senior international with Jamaica and has made six caps for the Reggae Boys. He most recently helped Jamaica reach the final of the Gold Cup tournament after defeating the United States in the semifinal.
While Hector is not by any means the big name signing that Chelsea FC fans were hoping for, and neither is Djilobodji, this could end up being a good signing for the future. Cesar Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovic, and Gary Cahill were all purchased for under £10m and were key pieces of title-winning sides. Even if Hector never makes a senior appearance for Chelsea FC he could be worth the trouble of signing if he continues to improve and boosts his sell-0n value.
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