PORTUGUESE midfielder Erico Esteves de Sousa has been handed a trial by Reading FC.

The 21-year-old featured for the club's Under 23 side last night in a 2-1 defeat at Derby County in Premier League 2.

The former Barnsley youth team player was on the pitch for 84 minutes before being replaced by Axel Andresson.

Royals boss Jaap Stam will now take a closer look at the triallist over the coming week.

De Sousa was let go by Barnsley in 2014 and spent a season in the top flight in Slovenia with NK Celje, scoring once and claiming four assists in 24 league games.

But he has not played much football in the past 12 months and is looking to resurrect his career in England.

Meanwhile, Reading made a strong start to last night's clash at St George's Park but fell behind when Charles Vernam fired past keeper Luke Southwood.

Midfield duo Josh Barrett and Tyler Frost both went close to equalising before the break but failed to beat Henrich Ravas in the Derby goal.

Rams swiftly doubled their lead early in the second half when a Callum Guy free-kick evaded everyone in the Reading box and nestled in the net.

Frost remained a threat for the visitors, forcing another excellent save out of Ravas as Kuhl's side stepped it up.

And they did pull one back late on when 17-year-old Tom McIntyre bundled the ball home from a corner to make it 2-1.

Yet Derby repelled a last-ditch onslaught from Reading to secure the victory at the National Football Centre.

Reading U23s: Southwood, Sheppard, Griffin, McIntyre, Jules, Wieser, Rinomhota, Frost, Barrett, Esteves de Sousa (Andresson 84), Cardwell. Subs not used: Tupper, Vancooten, Bennett, Smith.