Watford midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru has joined Reading on a season-long loan.

The Nigerian looked set to play an important part in The Hornets' promotion challenge last season but was ruled out in October when he picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury against the Royals.

With the club keen to get the player back to fitness, he will now spend the season developing with the Championship outfit.

 

He recently returned to action with a goal in an academy match against St Albans City, after which he told the club website: “These past 10 months have been really difficult. I’ve been working really hard in the gym, trying to improve myself day-by-day so that I can get back out on the pitch. So I was really happy to get back out there.

"I was happy to get the goal as well. I was very very happy to score. The type of player I want to be, I want to score goals and assist goals, so it was a good feeling to score on my return after such a long time out.”

The 21-year-old joined as a free agent after leaving Manchester City where he was given a senior debut by Pep Guardiola, replacing Phil Foden in an EFL Cup game against Leicester City.

Having passed a medical at Reading today he has now completed his move, which is understood not to come with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Hornets can recall the player in January, should they wish to.