Chelsea confirm signing of Reading defender Hector

Chelsea have completed the signing of Reading centre-back Michael Hector for an undisclosed fee.

The London-born Jamaican international has signed a five-year contract but will remain with the Royals for the rest of this season.

Hector, 23, helped Reading reach the FA Cup semi-finals last term and captained the club for the first time recently.

He also played all three of Jamaica’s matches at this summer’s Copa America.

A boyhood Chelsea fan, Hector began his career in the youth team at Millwall and joined the Reading academy in 2009.

He gained experience with loan spells at five non-League clubs, Dundalk of the League of Ireland, Football League clubs Barnet, Shrewsbury, Aldershot and Cheltenham and Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.

Hector finally made his Reading first-team debut in January 2014 and has played 63 times for the Championship side since then.

Earlier on transfer deadline day, Chelsea signed Nantes centre-back Papy Djilobodji for £4m.