Rovers are delighted to secure the signing of highly-rated Reading striker Dominic Samuel for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old, who scored against Rovers at Ewood Park last season, joins on a three-year deal through to June 2020.

A prolific goalscorer for the Royals’ Under-18s, Samuel represented England at Under-19 level, before signing a professional contract at the Madejski Stadium.

He made his first team debut away to Sunderland in the Premier League in December 2012, before having loan spells with Colchester United and Dagenham & Redbridge.

The exciting forward shot to prominence working with manager Tony Mowbray at Coventry City, where he scored six goals in 12 league starts during the second half of the 2014-15 season, which helped secure the Sky Blues’ status in League One.

Samuel spent much of the 2015-16 season on loan at Gillingham, where he scored seven goals in 25 appearances, as the Gills narrowly missed out on the play-offs.

During his time at Priestfield, Samuel struck up an impressive partnership with fellow Rovers new boy Bradley Dack, who netted 15 goals on his way to being crowned the League One Player of the Year.

Samuel returned to Reading for the start of the 2016-17 season and scored on his home debut in a 3-0 victory over Burton Albion. He netted again as the Royals beat Rovers 3-2 at Ewood Park in mid-December, before ending the season on loan at Ipswich Town.

The striker, who will meet up with his new team-mates for the first time tomorrow, becomes Rovers’ fifth summer signing, following the arrivals of Peter Whittingham, Richie Smallwood, Bradley Dack and Ben Gladwin.