Reading have completed the loan signing of centre back Tommy Elphick from Championship side Aston Villa. Elphick will stay with the Royals on loan until the end of the season. Elphick arrived at Villa from Bournemouth in the Summer of 2016 for a three million pound transfer fee, but after 26 appearances for Villa last season he has featured just six times this campaign. After two league cup appearances, including a red card in the home defeat to Middlesbrough, he played just four Championship games before arriving at Reading hoping to secure more first team football.
The loan arrival of Elphick follows the earlier season-long loan departure of winger Adrian Popa. Popa has now agreed a move to Al-Taawoun in Saudi Arabia after also finding first team football hard to come by at Reading. Popa has been at Reading for a year, making nine starts in all competitions.
After a busy summer in the transfer market, the January transfer window is expected to be much quieter for the Royals. Under-fire Reading manager Jaap Stam is not expected to have any budget for new signings and Elphick's arrival could be one of very few transfer movements either in or out. Any incoming transfers are likely to be loan-only deals as Reading face a relegation battle.
Tommy Elphick Arrives On Loan
From the Discussion
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ST Stranded 28 Jan 2018 · 1:05pm
According to Alan Nixon on Twitter, will be heading out on loan from Villa and we are very interested.
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WI windermereROYAL 28 Jan 2018 · 1:15pm
Rumour we are interested. expect a late interest from Leeds. always happens.
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FD From Despair To Where? 28 Jan 2018 · 1:17pm
He would he a boon to our defence.
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AT AthleticoSpizz 28 Jan 2018 · 1:19pm
hi ho
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AN Anonymous 28 Jan 2018 · 1:30pm
Seems to be a strange use of Popa's loan wages. A striker is and always has been the priority.
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RJ Royal_jimmy 28 Jan 2018 · 1:35pm
I'd be very happy to see him here. We need someone to shore things up at the back badly
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AL alfie9 28 Jan 2018 · 4:25pm
I like this move. Can't see Villa asking for much since they have Terry, Chester and now Tuanzebe. Experienced players are what we need right now to steady the ship
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GE genome 28 Jan 2018 · 4:29pm
If we sign him we'll have have two Championship winning defenders in our central defence, managed by a Champions League winning central defender. Imagine if we got relegated with that :lol:
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MI Millsy 28 Jan 2018 · 4:45pm
Same old story.
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WI windermereROYAL 28 Jan 2018 · 5:37pm
I would question that, even though a striker is obviously high priority we need to stop leaking goals. 5 clean sheets in 28 games is just not good enough. Having to score 2 or 3 goals to win games will not be solved by just getting one striker in.
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HR Henley Royal 1 28 Jan 2018 · 5:42pm
Would not turn my nose up at centre half to play alongside Moore . Chris Martin still in Dubai mulling over a move to Reading or Sunderland the agony of choice.
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SR Snowflake Royal 28 Jan 2018 · 10:41pm
Possibly a sign McShane's out for a while, and / or Stam is looking seriously at starting 3 CBs. I think I'd rather rely on Moore, Ilori and Blackett with Andressen as back up (or playing LB come to that)