Tiago Ilori has left Reading to rejoin his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon on a permanent deal.
The 25-year-old centre-back has been a key figure in the Royals line-up this season, making 22 appearances to take his tally to 64 since arriving from Liverpool in January 2017 for around £3.75 million.
But he has now returned to Portugal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £2.5 million, having left Lisbon for England in 2013.
Ilori’s departure comes just days after fellow defender Matt Miazga arrived on loan from Chelsea, while injured duo Paul McShane and Tom Holmes are both now fit and available for selection.
Young centre-back Gabriel Osho, who deputised in the first team in December, has also left Reading today to join Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season.
Reading have six loan players on the books and are only allowed to name five per matchday squad so are unlikely to make any more temporary signings in this window, but with Ilori now sold that frees up some funds to potentially add one more player to the squad before Thursday’s deadline.
Reports have linked former QPR winger Adel Taarabt with a shock move to Madejski Stadium while both Tyler Blackett and Liam Kelly are believed to be wanted by Nottingham Forest and Udinese respectively.
Vito Mannone, Marc McNulty and David Meyler are also expected to leave the club this week.
Reading face a trip to fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers this evening.
