Sidwell moves to Stamford Bridge

Former Reading midfielder has completed his transfer to Chelsea. He will join the Blues outfit on 1st July on a free transfer. He resisted offers from Newcastle, Villa and Everton.

Its tragic that Reading will not get anything for his transfer. His contract runs out in the summer. This would be Jose's first signing of the summer.

Profile
Full name: Steven James Sidwell
Date of birth: 14-12-1982 (age 24)
Place of birth: Wandsworth, England
Height: 1.78 m
Playing position: Midfielder

Steve Sidwell joined Reading from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee in January 2003, after rising through the youth ranks but never making a first team appearance for the Gunners.

Steve Coppell signed him on loan at Brentford in the autumn of 2001, where he played 35 times, scoring four goals, before he marked his return to Arsenal with a goal after just 13 seconds in the National Academy League play-off final against Liverpool.

After this, he stayed at Belgian team Beveren but soon returned to England, once again with Steve Coppell, but this time at Brighton where he scored five times in 12 games.

It was no surprise therefore when Alan Pardew made the move for him in the 2003 January transfer window allowing Sidwell to make his full debut for the club during a 3-1 defeat to Leicester, where he was unlucky enough to miss a penalty.

His next appearance, however, was more succesful as he found the net twice in a 5-2 win at Burnley, before going on a run of 11 straight appearances steering his side to the play-offs where they lost to Wolves in the semi-final.

That summer saw him named as the first Reading player to ever be named in England's Under-21 side before he teamed up Steve Coppell for a third time after Coppell took over from Alan Pardew in autumn 2003.

Under Coppell, he continued to be a vital part of the Royals' machinery and signed a new deal in 2004 as well as winning a poll in Four Four Two magazine looking for the best player outside the Premiership.

A knee injury kept him on the sidelines for long periods during the 2005/06 season, but he returned to play an important role in Reading's eventual promotion. He was named the Football League's second best player of 2005 in the first ever Football League Awards ceremony.

In the summer of 2006, Sidwell rejected a contract extension, and it was rumoured that he might be sold to Everton, Charlton Athletic or Manchester City, as his contract was due to run out at the end of the 2006-07 season. Reading decided to keep Sidwell for their inaugural season in the Premier League, and risk losing him without a transfer fee when his contract ran out.

Over the course of the 2006-07 season, he was linked with a number of high profile clubs. After the last game of the 2006-07 season, Reading manager Steve Coppell confirmed that Sidwell had left the club and knew who he had signed for, but refused to say.

Last night, it was announced that after passing a medical at Stamford Bridge, Sidwell would join Chelsea on 1 July 2007 following the expiration of his contract with Reading.

1999–2003 Arsenal 0 (0)
2001–2002 Brentford (loan) 30 (4)
2002–2002 KSK Beveren (loan) 0 (0)
2002–2003 Brighton (loan) 12 (5)
2003–2007 Reading 168 (29)
2007 Chelsea