Royals sign young midfielder

Last updated : 31 January 2007 By Angus Muller

Reading have announced the capture of Australian teenager Oliver Bozanic.

The midfielder has moved to the Premiership from A-League side Central Coast Mariners and has penned a deal until 2009 at The Madejski Stadium.

Reading have been keeping tabs on the Australian youth international for some time and first invited him for a trial in Berkshire over two years ago.

Now manager Steve Coppell has clinched a deal for Bozanic, adding the 18-year-old to the January signings of Mikkel Andersen and Viktor Illugason.

Reading director of football Nick Hammond has welcomed the talented midfielder - who was recently called up for a Olympic training camp with Australia - to The Madejski Stadium.

"We're very pleased to have signed Oliver," Hammond told the club's official website.

"He is a really gifted left footed player, an Australian youth international and he's already spent a large amount of time with us in the last couple of years."