Reading Fc Bolster Their Forward Line With The Signing Of 20-Year-Old Striker A Move

The 20-year-old Irish striker had a loan spell at second-tier Portsmouth last season and is now on the verge of another temporary move, this time to the Royals, who finished seventh in the third division in 2024/25.

O’Mahony would become their fourth signing of the summer, with the attacker undergoing a medical at the club ahead of the move, as reported by Football League World.

Young striker set for League One loan

O’Mahony is set to join Reading for the duration of the 2025/26 season and will hope to get his first taste of regular first-team football.

After starting his career with League of Ireland side Cork City, he moved to the English south coast in January 2023 and has since made four appearances for Brighton, scoring once in a Carabao Cup victory over Crawley Town last year.

He then earned a move to Pompey but struggled to secure playing time, featuring in just 13 Championship games and scoring three goals.

The Ding’s head coach, Noel Hunt, is in need of a striker after the departure of Jayden Wareham to Exeter City and will want to take the pressure off winger Harvey Knibbs, who top-scored last season with 14 goals in League One.

They also lost prolific forward Sam Smith to Wrexham in January, after he had scored 11 goals for the Royals in the first half of the campaign, and have not yet tied down Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan to a new deal.

Hunt will be hoping to push his side into the playoffs after missing out by three points last season and the arrival of O’Mahony would give them a focal point up front.

What will the striker bring to Reading?

The 5ft 9 in Irishman will almost certainly be Hunt’s main man up front and will be an exciting prospect at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

His three goals for Portsmouth last season came in just 595 minutes, with only five of his 13 appearances being starts, meaning he scored a goal every 198 minutes, which is a very respectable figure for a young striker in the second tier.

This also came from an expected goals (XG) of 1.9, meaning he overperformed in front of goal.

One of his biggest strengths is the defensive side of his game, with FBref ranking him in the 85th percentile or higher for blocks (1.66 per 90), clearances (1.36) and interceptions (0.3) when compared against other strikers outside the ‘top five leagues’, based on his playing time.

His ability to win back the ball for his team should provide players like Knibbs with more chances to shoot, and it could be a game plan that Hunt focuses on, with O’Mahony covering a lot of ground to help his midfielders.

What other positions may Reading target?

The Berkshire side have already recruited well this summer with the signings of defenders Paudie O’Connor and Matty Jacobs, as well as goalkeeper Jack Stevens.

After losing defenders Amadou Mbengue and Tyler Bindon, they may look to bring in someone to partner O’Connor, but attacking areas look to be their weakest at the moment.

With Knibbs and Basil Tuma as the only wingers currently at the club, Hunt will need to secure the signings of a few more, as well as bringing in at least one backup to O’Mahony, who will be the side’s only striker once the deal is completed.