Noel Hunt, manager of Charlton Athletic, has called off the signing of Reading midfielder Harvey Knibbs.
The 26-year-old was expected to join the newly promoted Addicks after a contract was agreed on Saturday, making him unavailable for the weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Portsmouth.
However, an unexpected twist has seen last season’s top scorer remain in Berkshire, and as things stand, the former Cambridge United man will not be headed to The Valley and might feature against Lincoln City on Saturday.
“Whatever happened, I am not sure; I’ll speak with Harvey this morning,” Hunt told the internal media. “Clearly, something wasn’t quite right from Harvey’s perspective or whatever. First and first, he is still our player, and we must ensure his well-being because transfers to larger teams are critical for players’ development. These things occur all the time.
“It’s a difficult situation for him, but we hope he’s okay both mentally and physically. It’s about making sure he’s okay because he’s one of us and we will have a conversation this morning to see how he feels and if he’s ready to go.
“Over the last two or three years, this club has consistently sold players to the higher leagues, demonstrating the youngsters’ performance. We have players who are prepared for this level but can advance to the level above, which is a huge advantage for our team.
“When something like this happens, Harvey has a tough time dealing with it because it is unusual. We must first ensure his safety because he is one of ours, and after he is safe and feels ready to move, we push but do not shove. I know Harv; he’s a nice guy with a great attitude who will digest everything and go on. We’ll have the talk, see where he is, and perhaps he’ll join us over the weekend.”
Hunt is still looking for up to five additional signings before the September deadline, with one perhaps coming in tomorrow.
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