READING boss Jaap Stam has been busy on the eve of the new football season by making his eighth signing of the summer.

Just 24 hours before the Royals kick-off the Championship campaign against Preston North End at the Madejski Stadium, the Dutch manager sealed the signature of Charlton winger, Callum Harriott.

The 22-year-old winger Callum Harriott put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Madejski.

The pacy former England Under-19 international completed his medical yesterday evening and finalised a move to join the Royals ranks from Charlton Athletic for an undisclosed fee this morning.

Manager Jaap Stam said, “I think Callum is a player the fans will love if they like attractive, attacking football.

"He is the type of winger who is difficult for opponents to predict – he has a lot of pace, he’s good on the ball, very strong in 1v1 situations and he has goalscoring capabilities as well. I’m sure he will be a great asset to the team.”

A talented left-sided forward, Harriott first joined the Addicks at Under-9 level and the South London-born starlet came through the Academy ranks at The Valley to make his first team debut at the age of 17.

His first professional goal came in the Championship only five days after his 19th birthday, Harriott scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory at Huddersfield in March 2013.

The following year he scored five goals in the final two league fixtures of Athletic’s second tier campaign – a brace against Watford to ensure Charlton’s second tier safety, then a hat-trick at Blackpool on the final day of the 2013-14 season.

In 2015-16, Harriott enjoyed a loan spell at Colchester – scoring seven goals in 22 appearances for United before returning to Charlton to find the net twice in a win at Brentford and then score the second in victory against high-flying Middlesbrough in March.

“I am really pleased to welcome another young, talented, attack-minded player to Madejski Stadium,” said Chief Executive Nigel Howe.

“Callum was a name on a lot of other clubs’ wish lists and we are delighted he has decided to join us here at Reading.”

Harriott’s signature becomes our eighth acquisition of the summer, following the arrivals of Danzell Gravenberch, Joey van den Berg, Anssi Jaakkola, Joseph Mendes, John Swift, Roy Beerens and Yakou Meite to date.

He trained with his new teammates for the first time this morning and Harriott will take squad number 15 at Reading.