Andrija Novakovich Signs For Frosinone Calcio

Andrija Novakovich has left the club, moving to Serie B side Frosinone Calcio. There’s no confirmed transfer fee at the moment but, with his deal up in Berkshire next summer, and given his lack of game time at Reading, you’d imagine that it’s not a big amount.

He’s reportedly agreed a four-year deal with Frosinone, having passed a medical on Sunday September 1. There had been rumoured interest in his services from clubs in other countries, such as VfL Bochum of the German second tier and Pelle Clement’s current Eredivisie club: PEC Zwolle, but Frosinone have won the race.

This season had appeared to be set up for Novakovich to make his mark on Reading’s first team. After two free-scoring seasons in the Netherlands, the American was expected to come back to the Madejski Stadium and be involved pretty regularly.

That looked like being the case after Novakovich had a bright pre-season, and even made his first Reading appearance in more than four years when he came off the bench at the end of the season opener against Sheffield Wednesday. Since then though, he’s not had another chance to impress for the first team, despite scoring a hat-trick for the under-23s against Newcastle United.

It hasn’t helped that the Royals have recruited heavily up front in the last few months. Lucas Joao and George Puscas were both signed on permanent deals (the latter for a club-record fee from Inter Milan), while Lucas Boye has also been used centrally since joining on a season-long loan from Torino.

Add in Yakou Meite - whose three goals make him our joint top-scorer alongside Puscas this season - and Danny Loader, the subject of a failed bid from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and there were simply too many other players further up the pecking order than Novakovich.

He’ll hopefully have a good chance to impress in the Italian second tier - ironically, the division in which George Puscas plied his trade last season. Best of luck for the future, Andrija.