ADRIAN Popa rejected a move to the top flight in Italy and Spain to sign a three-and-a-half year deal with Reading FC.

The 28-year-old midfielder became Jaap Stam's second January addition when he joined from Steaua Bucharest for around £500,000 this morning.

Popa has penned a deal with the Royals until 2020 and he could become the first Romanian to play for the club if he makes his debut at Birmingham City tomorrow night (7.45pm ko).

And it appears Popa was not short of offers from abroad before choosing to sign for Jaap Stam's promotion-chasing Reading.

He explained: “It was hard to leave Romania because I had some beautiful moments at Steaua and won seven trophies in four-and-a-half years there.

But I am coming here to prove and to show my qualities. I love the football here. For me, it’s real football.

“I had offers from the top divisions in Spain and Italy, but I rejected them because I wanted to come here to England.”

Popa also sought advice from Steaua defender Gabriel Tamas, his international team-mate with Romania who enjoyed spells with West Bromwich Albion, Doncaster Rovers, Watford and Cardiff City earlier in his career.

“I spoke with Gabriel Tamas about it,” added Popa. “He told me about the Championship because he played here with Cardiff, Doncaster and West Brom and he told me not to think, just go.

“But even without his words I would come. I’m very excited to be here and I am looking at this as a forward step.”

Popa was at Madejski Stadium on Saturday to watch Reading defeat Neil Warnock's Cardiff City 2-1 and move back up to third in the Championship table.

And the skilful midfielder is confident he will fit in well with Jaap Stam's style of possession-based football.

“I hope to play well for Reading, and to play a lot,” Popa declared. “I like to play this style of football.

“At Steaua in Romania we played the same type of football – possession and attacking football.

“It will be hard for us to reach the top two, but not impossible. If we can't be in the top two, I want us to be the team that wins the play-offs.”

Popa has just come off a winter break, but he insists he is fully fit and raring to go.

“I feel very good,” he stated. “The winter break in Romania was almost finished, and next week is the first league game. I feel prepared and I hope to accommodate very fast.”

Popa is the club's second signing this month after the arrival of Tiago Ilori from Liverpool.

And he thanked Stam and Royals director of football, Brian Tevreden, for sealing the deal.

“I would like to thank Jaap Stam – he wanted to bring me here,” he added. “Also thanks to Brian Tevreden.

“He was fighting for a month to make the transfer happen. We got it finished last night at around midnight.”

Meanwhile, Rotherham United have joined Southend United in the race to sign Dominic Samuel on loan.