Despite speculation linking Ricardo Santos with a January move to Reading, the transfer will not be taking place.
@RFCLatest (on X – below), confirms that no agreement has been reached and that Santos will not be making the switch to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Reading are actively exploring defensive reinforcements.
Santos is expected to remain with his current club Swansea, and the Royals will now turn their attention to alternative centre‑back targets.
Whilst the tribulations of the move are unknown, A deal for Ricardo Santos may be off for several practical football reasons, and none of them are unusual in a January window.
Reading’s financial limits make it difficult to match the Championship‑level wages Santos earns at Swansea, and any gap between what the player wants and what the club can offer can stall talks quickly.
There’s also the matter of Santos’ recent fitness concerns. This would make Reading more cautious, especially for a defender expected to start immediately.
On top of that, Santos may simply prefer to stay and fight for his place or wait for a different opportunity, while Reading’s recruitment team could be shifting toward younger or more mobile alternatives who better fit Leam Richardson’s long‑term plan.
Speculation now arises that Reading could be monitoring Dan Scarr from Wrexham.
Santos still ranks among the club’s top three defenders for aerial‑duel success in training metrics, and last year at Bolton he posted a 65% aerial win rate and averaged 4.8 clearances per match, figures that underline why Swansea value his profile.
The club also recognise that their current centre‑back group has struggled in certain areas; Swansea sit in the bottom half of the Championship for aerial duels won and concede a high proportion of chances from crosses – making Santos’ physical presence statistically important to retain.
With the January window offering little opportunity to replace a defender who produced over 200 recoveries and 30 blocks last season, on a permanent basis.
Swansea see more competitive value in keeping him than in accepting Reading’s interest, reinforcing their stance that he remains a key depth option for the second half of the campaign.
