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Andy Yiadom became Reading's first summer arrival in 2018, when he signed a four-year deal in early July.

Yiadom’s impressive footballing CV features a climb through the divisions. Having started in the youth system at Watford, he made his start in senior football at Hayes & Yeading United in the Conference Premier – with an impressive season seeing him snapped up by league rivals, Braintree Town, while still a teenager.

After scoring an impressive eight times from full-back in a standout season with Braintree, he got his first Football League move – with Barnet calling for his services.

He gradually forced his way into the first team picture at Underhill – initially in midfield and then in defence – and ultimately proved to be a key cog in the Barnet squad in his four seasons there.

Yiadom became a mainstay at the Hive in a Bees’ defence that earned promotion back to League Two in 2014-15 – and he went on to captain them in their first season back in the EFL.

Standout performances made the Londoner a sought-after man – so a move to Oakwell followed when Barnsley were recruiting for their return to the Championship in 2016.

The full-back made over 60 appearances across his two seasons in South Yorkshire – where again his leadership qualities would be rewarded with the captain’s armband. His form for the Tykes warranted a first senior call-up to the Ghana national team in 2017.

The Royals were able to fend-off competition for his signature to welcome him to RG2, linking up on a free transfer.

He debuted against Derby County on the opening day of 2018-19 and scored his first goal in a Royals outfit against Hull a month later.

Summer involvement with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations lead to a busy year of football for the defender, only returning to club level a few weeks before the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

The 2020-21 campaign for Yiadom was a tricky one marred by injuries, but he returned in late January to help his side to a seventh-placed finish.

In his fourth season in Berkshire, he featured 36 times and found the net against Coventry City as well representing the Black Stars on the international stage in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

The full-back helped Ghana to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by featuring in a two-legged win against Nigeria in March 2022. In the following summer, Yiadom penned a new three-year deal with Reading, as well as being named as new club captain by manager Paul Ince. Yiadom went on to make 42 apperances for the Royals in the 2022-23 season.