READING FC have completed the signing of Jeff Hendrick on a season-long loan from Newcastle United.
He joined the Magpies in the summer of 2020 and has gone on to make 27 appearances for the club but, deemed surplus to requirements, has decided to head south in search of first team football.
Hendrick signed his first professional contract with Derby in 2010 and made his debut when he replaced Robbie Savage in a Championship clash with Burnley the following year.
In total, Hendrick went on to make 224 appearances for the Rams, scoring 27 goals and twice competing for promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
In the summer of 2016, Burnley paid a club record fee for Hendrick’s services and he helped the Clarets finish seventh in the Premier League and earn European football at Turf Moor.
On the international scene, the midfielder has been a regular for the Republic of Ireland totting up 74 appearances since making his debut under Giovanni Trappatoni as a substitute against Poland in February 2013.
The second half of last season saw him feature ten times on loan for QPR and, last month, he played a part in all four of the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League matches against Armenia, Ukraine twice and Scotland.
Manager Paul Ince said, “Jeff is a midfielder I have admired for a long period of time.
“He has the ability and experience to play in a number of roles across the midfield, he works hard, he wins the ball back, he can pick a pass and he can score goals too.
“A player of his experience will prove so important for this club going into the challenge of the Championship this season.”
The signing follows last week’s addition of Tyrese Fornah as the Royals look to add depth to their midfield after losing Josh Laurent and Andy Rinomhota to Stoke City and Cardiff City respectively.
