TYLER BLACKETT says he knew Reading wanted to sign him before the start of the Championship season but admitted negotiations were “difficult”.
Blackett, 22, became Royals’ 11th signing of the summer when he put pen-to-paper on a three-year deal from Manchester United.
Interest in the defender had been rumoured earlier in the summer but the transfer was only completed this week.
And Blackett conceded it was not a straightforward deal to get over the line.
“I knew Reading were interested early in the summer, before the Championship started,” he said.
“Initially I tried to come here to see the manager and the ground and training ground but it was difficult sorting it out.
“But eventually it did and I’m happy to be here.”
He continued: “There was a few other interests but Reading seemed like the best opportunity for me.
“The main reason why I came was obviously the club itself, the manager being here and just the stature of the club in the Championship is good for me.”
Despite his tender age, Blackett has plenty of big stage experience having played 12 first team games for Man Utd and also spent a year on loan at Scottish champions Celtic.
Blackett’s breakthrough, after loan spells at Birmingham City and Blackpool, came in August 2014 when he was handed his first team debut at United by former boss Louis van Gaal.
And the defender admits he was sad to see the Dutchman sacked in the summer and knew soon after that his time at United was coming to an end under new boss Jose Mourinho.
“Obviously it was difficult at the time,” he said.
“But I’m old enough to know now these things happen in football and the way the game is going and the way it’s gone in recent years.
“It’s difficult for managers to stay in a job on such a high stature for so long.
“It’s one of those things you have to accept and get on with.”
He added: “Jose spoke to me when he first came in and obviously he had his thoughts on what he wanted to do.
“It was different for every player but there was a lot of us in a similar situation.
“The age I’m at now and some of the other boys who are there too, it was a choice that we had to make in terms of building our career and playing regularly and get opportunities which we probably weren’t going to get under Mourinho.”
Jordan Obita is the Reading’s only senior left-back while with Jake Cooper (ankle) injured, Paul McShane and Liam Moore are the two centre-backs available for the trip to Cardiff City tomorrow, with Joey van den Berg also available after serving his suspension.
But Blackett, who last played a match two weeks ago, says he is fit to step in for his debut if required this weekend and says he is not picky about what position he plays and feels he can quickly fit into Stam’s philosophy.
“I’ve played left-back and centre-back so there is no preference,” he said.
“Wherever the manager plays me I am going to do my best to help the team out and we’ll see which position he prefers me in and we’ll go from there.
“Being grown up in the academy at United we also play possession football and we like to play out (from the back) so I think it’ll fit in with the way I like to play.
“Jaap is a legend at United.
“What he did there and what he achieved has gone down in history at United.
“For him to be here now helping me is a great thing.”
