Wigan Athletic full-back Andrew Taylor has joined Championship side Reading on a season-long loan, the club has announced.
Taylor arrives at the Madejski Stadium just three days before the Royals begin their new Championship campaign with a trip to Birmingham City, after spending just one season with his parent club in which Wigan were relegated.
The 29-year-old has a great deal of experience in the Football League and above, and arrives with the hope of helping Steve Clarke's men improve on last season's disappointing 19th-placed finish.
Competition for Obita
Clarke has already spoken positively about his newest acquisition, telling the club's website:
"I'm delighted that we were able to get Andrew Taylor to join our squad for this season. He brings good experience and different attributes to our left-back position.
"This was an area in the squad where we needed to make an addition and I feel we have made a good signing in Andrew. I look forward to Andrew and Jordan [Obita] competing to make this another strong position in our team."
Davies could join a predominantly new-look back line should he be thrust straight into first-team action, with Paul McShane joining in the centre and Ali Al-Habsi being brought in to replace former keeper Adam Federici.
An experienced head at the back
Taylor began his career with Reading's Championship rivals Middlesbrough, making 125 league appearances and featuring in both the Premier League and UEFA Cup.
During his time with local side Boro, he also turned out for England at every youth category, most notably turning out 13 times for the England U21 side over the course of three years.
He has also spent time on loan with Bradford City and Watford, and made a further century of league appearances for former side Cardiff City, where he left after the Bluebirds' top-flight relegation.
Early opportunities for Davies
The defender is perhaps unlikely to feature straight away with 21-year-old Obita having occupied the left-back berth for much of last season and being a popular figure with the club's fans after coming through the Royals' youth academy.
After the opening match of the Championship season with Birmingham, Reading travel to Colchester United in the first round of the Capital One Cup before league games with Leeds United and big spenders Sheffield Wednesday.
