Player spotlight
After rocky end with Nantes, Miazga joins Reading FC on loan
Matt Miazga has found a new club for the remainder of the sason with Reading FC. It won't be an easy task for the New Jersey native who will walk into an upward battle against relegation out of the Championship.
Matt Miazga’s ugly loan at Nantes is now over and the United States national team central defender has joined Reading FC On loan through the end of the season from his parent club Chelsea FC.
Miazga, 23, began the season as a regular starter for FC Nantes but a coaching change at the Ligue 1 team saw things quickly deteriorate as playing time became scarce for the New Jersey native. Reading FC will be Miazga’s fifth professional club of his career. He began with New York Red Bulls where he developed within the club’s academy. He was then transferred to Chelsea where he played sparingly. Then he went on two separate clubs with Vitesse in Holland (winning the Dutch Up in the process) before Nantes.
At Reading, Miazga will find a team that is in the middle of a tough relegation fight in the English Championship. The club is currently in the bottom three in 22nd place in the 24-team league. With 23 points through 28 games, it is two points from safety as 21st place Rotherham is at 25 points.
It is a good opportunity for Miazga because Reading FC clearly needs an upgrade throughout its roster and Mizaga should provide some leadership in the backline. His main competition right now will be existing central defenders Liam Moore and Tiago Almeida Ilori. This far, Reading has conceded 43 goals on the season.
Reading FC has a long history with American players with Marcus Hahnemann, Bobby Convey, and Danny Williams all having played with the club in the past. Current U.S. national team forward Andrija Novakovich is under contract with Reading but is on loan in the Eredivisie with Fortuna Sittard.
Miazga, 23, began the season as a regular starter for FC Nantes but a coaching change at the Ligue 1 team saw things quickly deteriorate as playing time became scarce for the New Jersey native. Reading FC will be Miazga’s fifth professional club of his career. He began with New York Red Bulls where he developed within the club’s academy. He was then transferred to Chelsea where he played sparingly. Then he went on two separate clubs with Vitesse in Holland (winning the Dutch Up in the process) before Nantes.
At Reading, Miazga will find a team that is in the middle of a tough relegation fight in the English Championship. The club is currently in the bottom three in 22nd place in the 24-team league. With 23 points through 28 games, it is two points from safety as 21st place Rotherham is at 25 points.
It is a good opportunity for Miazga because Reading FC clearly needs an upgrade throughout its roster and Mizaga should provide some leadership in the backline. His main competition right now will be existing central defenders Liam Moore and Tiago Almeida Ilori. This far, Reading has conceded 43 goals on the season.
Reading FC has a long history with American players with Marcus Hahnemann, Bobby Convey, and Danny Williams all having played with the club in the past. Current U.S. national team forward Andrija Novakovich is under contract with Reading but is on loan in the Eredivisie with Fortuna Sittard.
