Reading have concluded the signing of Andy Yiadom from Barnsley on a free transfer and he’ll join them on 1st July after his contract with Barnsley expires. The Barnsley skipper joined the Championship outfit on a four-year deal and becomes Reading’s first acquisition of the summer transfer window. The Tykes have been relegated to League One and thus, Yiadom’s exit from Oakwell was on the cards.
The Royals had a terrible season and finished 20th on the league standings with just 44 points to their name. Reading’s defensive frailties were comprehensively exposed by the opposition and there is no denying that they struggled to find their feet in the Championship. A lot is to be done by Paul Clement if they are to push for promotion next season.
Making Yiadom move to Madejski Stadium seems to be a good move for the club at the onset. The 26-year-old emerged through the youth ranks of Watford and started his senior career with Hayes & Yeading United. After spells with Braintree Town and Barnet, he moved to Barnsley and took very little time to become a regular in the starting XI.
Although he had a fantastic 2016-17 campaign, the 2017-18 season was a bit under-par. He was set to join Swansea City during the summer transfer window of 2017 but a delay in paperwork prevented his move to Liberty Stadium. This had a toll on his form and he was found to be timorous at times.
He didn’t play until the month of October and it was evident that his heart wasn’t at Barnsley despite being appointed as their skipper. However, he managed 32 appearances in the league and bagged 3 assists. He also mustered 2.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 3.7 clearances and 0.7 blocks per game on an average.
His versatility of being able to play as a right-back as well as a left-back is one of his most notable abilities, although the right-back slot is where he is most comfortable with.
He is a good reader of the game but he definitely needs to be a lot more consistent with his outings. Yiadom is a strong attack-minded full-back and has the physicality to dominate the opposition.
The Ghanaian international is also a pretty decent crosser and uses his speed to good effect. In a nutshell, could be a good addition to Clement’s side.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored