Harper Will Be Staying

Reading midfielder James Harper will be playing Premiership football at the Madejski Stadium next season after the player agreed to sign a new contract.

The 25-year-old’s current deal runs out in the summer and Charlton Athletic and Feyenoord have been sniffing around for some time.

But the will he-won’t he game is now over after director of football Nicky Hammond revealed he had accepted the new terms.

‘I had a very good conversation with James after training on Thursday, and we shook hands on the deal we have been discussing in recent weeks,’ Hammond told the club’s official website.

‘James won’t sign the new contract until after the weekend because he is focusing on the game against Watford.

‘James has done a lot of thinking about the various options that are open to him. He loves it here, he thinks the football club has a bright future and wants to be a part of that. We are very pleased with his decision.’