Reading FC Defender Completes Summer Training In MLS

Say the name Anton Ferdinand around Reading fans and chances are you'll get a sentence back that somewhere will include the words 'waste' 'space' & 'money' somewhere in it. Despite signing with the club last July, Ferdinand managed a mere 46 minutes for the first team in 2014/15 and before long his two-year contract was looking an expensive joke to most supporters.

Despite that, in a very tiny sample size Ferdinand actually looked as if he may have something to offer at Championship level and after spending nearly a decade in the Premier League it's hard to argue that he doesn't have at least experience to offer.

So it's come as welcome reading to find that Ferdinand has just completed a summer training schedule with MLS side Chicago Fire, who count Scotland's Shaun Maloney amongst their ranks. The deal was apparently set up at Steve Clarke's recommendation and comes through Ferdinand's previous work with Fire coach Marc Bircham who was with Anton at QPR.

On his summer experience, Ferdinand told the Fire's official website.

"The group's been very, very good. It's a nice bunch of lads. They've welcomed me with open arms. I'm just happy that they've accepted me into their group for this short period of time. My main goal is working hard here and being ready for Reading when I get back."

Ferdinand has been with Chicago since mid-May and will return to Berkshire on June 21st to try and prove to Clarke that he can be counted on this season. His return would be a boost after the departure of Alex Pearce and with the majority of you rating centre-back as a high priority for the Reading manager this summer.

So would you welcome the former West Ham man back into the ranks or should Steve Clarke be trying to push Ferdinand into making his US trip a permanent one?