Wednesday 18 January 2017 12:18, UK
Reading have confirmed the signing of 23-year-old Portuguese defender Tiago Ilori from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee.
The former Sporting Lisbon centre-back has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year contract which is set to keep him at the Madejski until the summer of 2020.
"Tiago is the type of defender a lot of people like - his technical skill, passing ability, pace, quality and physique," Royals manager Jaap Stam said. "We always want players with those attributes within our squad.
"In this league, with all the games we need to play, you never know what's going to happen with injuries and suspensions - so it's also important we have options and the chance to rotate.
"And looking to the future, you need to seize the opportunity when players like Tiago are available, so we're very happy that he will be joining us at Reading."
Ilori joined Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool in 2013 in a £7m deal from Sporting, but struggled to nail down a place in the Premier League club's first team.
The defender has been restricted to three FA Cup appearances for the Reds during his time at Anfield and spent much of his Liverpool career on loan, with spells at Spanish side Granada, French outfit Bordeaux, and Sky Bet Championship side Aston Villa.
He represented Portugal's Under-21 side in the European Championships and remained unbeaten in the tournament, featuring in draws with Italy and Sweden as well as a 1-0 win over England in the Czech Republic.
Chief Executive Nigel Howe added: "I am delighted to welcome Tiago, a very promising young centre-back, to Reading Football Club.
"A player with La Liga, Ligue 1 and Primeira Liga experience who comes to us from a club of Liverpool's pedigree, I am confident he will be a very good addition to the squad and become an even better player under the guidance of Jaap Stam."
