Goalkeeper pens deal at the Select Car Leasing Stadium
We are very pleased to announce that goalkeeper Joel Pereira has signed terms with Reading Football Club, joining on an initial one-year contract with an option for a further year.
The 27-year-old stopper, a graduate of Manchester United’s academy, becomes the new recruit to our first-team squad, subject to the usual ratification processes from the relevant governing bodies and international clearance.
Born in Switzerland to Portuguese parents, it was his performances at youth level with Neuchâtel Xamax that convinced the Red Devils to bring him to England at the age of 16 in 2012.
After a few years playing youth football with United, he made his first appearances in senior football during a two-month loan spell up the road at Rochdale in 2015 – keeping a clean-sheet on his League One debut in a win in Doncaster.
The following summer, he was named Best Goalkeeper at the Toulon Tournament – representing Portugal, after switching his allegiance from Switzerland – and his penalty shoot-out saves helped his nation win the third-place play-off at the Czech Republic’s expense.
He spent the first half of 2016-17 on loan with Belenenses in Portugal, before returning to make his senior debut for the Old Trafford side as a sub in an FA Cup win against Wigan. His Premier League debut came on the final day of the campaign, keeping a clean-sheet against a Crystal Palace side that boasted Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha in its attack.
Over the next three seasons, he would go on to garner more competitive experience during loan spells with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, KV Kortrijk in Belgium, Hearts in Scotland, before finally spending a season-long stint at Huddersfield Town in 2020-21.
Since being released by United in the summer of 2021, Pereira has spent the past two seasons in the Netherlands in the colours of RKC Waalwijk. After training with the Royals team in recent weeks, he now officially becomes our latest recruit.
Mark Bowen, Head of Football Operations for the Royals, said: “Our aim during this summer’s rebuilding process has been to create strength in depth across all areas of the pitch. Joel’s recruitment gives us another option in the goalkeeping department, and during his time training with the team, he has shown a desire to work hard to meet our high standards and to push the other goalkeepers for that starting spot.”