Veljko Paunovic has completed his first signing as Reading manager as Lewis Gibson joins on a season-long loan move to the Royals from Everton.
The 20-year-old central defender will wear the number 15 shirt this season.
“I am absolutely delighted that Lewis has come to join the group and to be part of what we are trying to achieve here at Reading,” said Paunovic.
“A confident and capable left-footed defender who is comfortable on the ball and aware of the philosophy we are implementing out on the training pitch, he has promise and potential in abundance as well as the talent to make an impact as a Royal this season.
“I am sure he will add competition to our defence and a readiness to our squad.”
Gibson came through the youth ranks at Newcastle United but joined the Toffees at the age of 17.
Having already featured at the higher age group, Gibson quickly became a regular under David Unsworth in Merseyside, routinely representing Everton’s Under-23s over the course of the next three seasons and captaining the side to a league and cup double in 2018-19.
And he earned his first minutes in league football when he joined Joey Barton’s Fleetwood Town on loan for the second half of last season.
He kept four clean sheets in nine League One starts for Fleetwood and was unbeaten throughout – helping the Lancashire side win six and draw three to edge into a top six spot.
