Town have confirmed that Reading keeper Alex McCarthy is joining on a three-month loan. The 22-year-old, who has also signed a new deal at the Madejski Stadium, is joining up with the squad this morning while the paperwork is finalised and is expected to make his debut at Birmingham on Wednesday, wearing the number 32 shirt.
While joining the Blues for the short-term, McCarthy has also reaffirmed his longer term commitment to Reading, putting pen to paper on a contract until 2015, something he says he was delighted to do: "This is excellent for me, it's a nice secure feeling to know that you have years behind you and I'm really looking forward to the future.
"I had a good spell in the team last season and this is a great club to be at, great lads, great staff, a great manager. I've got great respect for [manager] Brian [McDermott] - he's done wonders for me.
"Leeds are a rival club in terms of going up this season, and he didn't have to do let me go on loan there, but he knew I wanted to go out and play and he had my best interests at heart. So I have to thank him for letting me do that.
"Everyone always comments about the goalkeepers here [at Reading] because we've got such a great group. All of us want to be playing of course, and being a goalkeeper that's not possible - and that's why I've taken more time out to go on loan. But eventually I do want to be playing my football here."
Guildford-born 6ft 4in-tall England U21 cap McCarthy came through the Royals’ youth system and has had prior loan spells at Woking, Cambridge United, Team Bath, Aldershot Town, Yeovil Town and Brentford, in addition to a six-game spell at Leeds in November and December last year.
McCarthy’s spell runs until April 11th, while Reading will have a 24-hour emergency recall option after the first month, as is usual with short-term loans.
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