READING FC have signed Barnsley captain Andy Yiadom on a deal until the summer of 2022, writes Luke Adams.

The right back and Ghana international will become Paul Clement's first signing of the summer as he looks to refresh his squad after a dismal campaign.

Yiadom, 26, made the switch after the Yorkshire club were relegated from the Sky Bet Championship.

He will officially become part of the squad when his contract at Oakwell expires on June 31.

Manager Clement said: “I’m very happy that Andy is joining Reading as my first signing.

"He is someone that I’ve known for a while, and whose progress I was tracking when I was at Swansea.

“Andy comes here with good experience of the Championship – he’s a good age at 26, and he has the right desires and ambitions which will help us to move forward with this club.”

Clement tried to lure Yiadom to Swansea but a deadline day move fell through.

The 26-year-old also saw a move to Premier League outfit Huddersfield Town fall apart after an issue with his spine was discovered during a routine medical examination.

The Chronicle understands Yiadom was routing for another top-flight move this summer but was eventually lured to Madejski Stadium.

The move comes after Clement stated he wanted more competition for places, with Welsh international Chris Gunter the only other senior play in the same position.

Yiadom started through the youth system at Watford and broke into senior football while he was still a teenager with an impressive season at Hayes & Yeading United in the Conference Premier.

This caught the attention of league rivals, Braintree Town, and saw Yiadom score eight times in a breakthrough season and saw him make another move to Barnet.

He gradually forced his way into the first team and played a key role during his four seasons with The Bees, helping them to win promotion to League Two in 2014/15 and was promoted to club captain the following season.

The move to Barnsley gained recognition from the Ghana national team in 2017 and Yiadom made 60 appearances in two seasons before making the switch to the Madejski Stadium.

Chief Executive Ron Gourlay added: “We are delighted to have everything in place to complete our first signing of the summer, as we begin to assemble our squad for the upcoming season.

"Andy is a player who has shown his quality in the Championship and will be a hugely welcome addition to Reading Football Club, and we are delighted that Andy sees Reading as the right fit for him too.”