Chelsea sign and loan back Reading defender Michael Hector in £4m deal

Chelsea’s attempts to strengthen their defensive ranks, previously so focused on Everton’s John Stones, were ultimately limited to the cut-price arrival of Papy Djilobodji from Nantes on deadline day. A surprise deal for Reading’s Michael Hector was also completed with the player then loaned back to the Championship club.

Hector was a trainee at Millwall before joining Reading, and was a member of the Jamaica side who reached the final of the Gold Cup earlier this summer. He spent time on loan at various non-league and lower league clubs before playing 20 games for Aberdeen in the Scottish elite two seasons ago. The 23-year-old enjoyed more regular involvement with the Royals in the Championship last season and, having become a key member of the side, was rewarded with a new three-year contract earlier in the summer.

His displays in the second tier had alerted Premier League clubs to his potential, with Crystal Palace having made their interest known last month. Yet the Reading manager, Steve Clarke, formerly José Mourinho’s assistant at Stamford Bridge, appears to have pushed the player’s capabilities to the Premier League champions with a £4m deal agreed on Tuesday.

The centre-back was immediately lent back to Reading, becoming the 33rd player to be loaned out by Chelsea this summer. Nathaniel Chalobah to Napoli, Islam Feruz to Hibernian and Victor Moses to West Ham United, the latter after signing a new four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, were also included in that number. There could be further temporary departures when the loan window reopens later this month.

Djilobodji signed a deal through to 2019 with the champions, who paid Nantes around £2.7m for the Senegal international centre-half. The 26-year-old, who played 171 times for the French club after joining in January 2009, had entered the final 12 months of his contract and will now offer cover for John Terry, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma in the middle and could play in defensive midfield if required. Chelsea trumped offers from Celtic, Celta Vigo and Trabzonspor to sign the player.