With one week left of the January transfer window, the Royals have reportedly made a loan offer for Sporting’s 20 year-old target man Pedro Mendes. 

Pedro Mendes signed for Sporting from Moreirense for £270k in Summer 2017, aged just 17.

In 2018 he was promoted from Sporting’s U19 side to their U23 side, for whom he appeared twice scoring on one occasion in the 2018/19 season.

The Portuguese centre forward has played 20 times for Sporting’s U23s side this term, scoring 15 and assisting twice.

READ MORE: Reading eye up young Sporting Lisbon starlet and submit loan-to-buy offer - reports

Mendes has also featured twice at U21 level for his country and has already appeared four times in the Europa League this season, scoring on his debut - a 10 minute cameo away to Dutch side, PSV.

Mendes would offer Reading the presence up front that they are missing in Joao’s absence; the 20 year-old is 6”2 and evidently has an eye for goal.

He made a blistering start to the U23s’ season, scoring seven goals in their first six games, but was unable to make the step up and play in the Primeira Liga as Sporting missed the registration deadline.

As aforementioned, Mendes has featured regularly in the Europa League instead; the towering centre-forward was officially registered for Sporting’s league campaign in early January, and has since played twice for the first team - both times from the bench. When playing in the Primeira Liga, Mendes has won all of his aerial duels.

The 20 year-old can play as a striker or a lone centre-forward; this season he has played mainly in a front two alongside Tiago Rodrigues who has struggled for goals, netting just three times in 19 games.

Mendes is the top scorer in the Liga Revelacao where Sporting’s U23s sit in 2nd place, three points off top placed Benfica and level on points with Rio Ave; however, they have hit a rough run of form, losing four of their last six games.

Portuguese outlet O Jogo have reported that the Royals’ offer is an initial loan offer with an option to buy at the end of the season. Mendes’ contract runs until Summer 2023 and with the form he is currently in, it’s not a decision that the Portuguese giants will take lightly. 

Reading are hopeful of completing a deal before next week’s deadline day and are expecting to hear back in the next few days