Reading manager Jaap Stam has made the club's first signing of the summer as striker Jón Daði Böðvarsson joined the club from Championship rivals Wolverhamtpon Wanderers for an undisclosed fee.
The Royals will now be looking to secure further additions in this transfer window to ensure they go one better than last season and gain promotion to the Premier League next season.
A smart addition for the Royals
Böðvarsson joins the Royals as a relatively low risk transfer as despite the fee being undisclosed, it is known to not be a groundbreaking sum of money. He is the sort of player that fits into Stam's philosophy at the Madejski Stadium and could be an important player for them next season.
The 25-year-old began his career with Selfoss in the Icelandic second tier in 2009, which shows how far he has come in his career to date. After a three-year spell at Selfoss, he then moved to Norwegian side Viking. He made 81 appearances and scored 15 goals in total for the side during a two-year spell.
He also had a short spell at Kaiserslautern in 2. Bundesliga but only made 15 appearances for the club in total, scoring just twice. However, it was his performances with Iceland at UEFA Euro 2016 in France that led to Wolves signing him the same summer for a fee of around £1 million. He started all five of his country's games at the tournament.
Despite the fact his goalscoring record at Molineux last season was relatively poor, he became a fan's favourite for his impressive work rate. He only managed to score three goals in 48 appearances for the club. However, his main attribute is to hold the ball up and bring other players into play.
Stam adds 'useful addition' to squad
Reading may not have the financial power of other teams in the division but smart additions like this could ensure another successful season for the club. Stam believes that Böðvarsson will be a very useful addition to the squad.
He told Reading's official site that the striker's ability to play in a number of positions was a key factor in deciding to bring him to the club. He said: “Jón is the type of player who can play in our system and he is able to play in a number up different positions within that system too - up front as a central striker, as one of a two or as a winger.
He added: “He’s a strong runner, he’s tall but he’s very comfortable on the ball, he’s got some pace…so he’s definitely a player who will be a useful addition to our squad.”
Reading supporters will be pleased to hear of this positive news following the news that Yann Kermorgant will miss the start of next season as he continues to recover from injury. Kermorgant was a key player for the Royals last season and Böðvarsson may be required to fill the void whilst he recovers.