Soccer-Cardiff sign midfielder Bacuna from Reading

Cardiff City have signed versatile midfielder Leandro Bacuna from Reading on a 4-1/2-year deal for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League side said on Thursday. Bacuna is the club's first January signing since forward Emiliano Sala, who joined the club from Nantes earlier in the window, went missing in a light aircraft over the English Channel last week.

"A few weeks ago, I was made aware of some interest and it has all gone from there. I'm very happy and looking forward to getting started," Bacuna told the club's website https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/deadline-day-bacuna-is-a-bluebird. "Every game I play I give 100 percent and I'll be fighting hard to help our team. I've played against the manager and you can see he always wants to win."

Curacao international Bacuna, who can also play as a right back, has experience in English soccer having spent four years at Aston Villa after leaving hometown side Groningen in 2013. The 27-year-old has spent the last 18 months at Championship side Reading. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)