Reading have signed Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and Nottingham Forest right-back Chris Gunter for undisclosed fees as the Premier League new-boys continue their preparations for their return to the top-flight.

Mariappa, 25, and Gunter, 22, both agreed three-year contracts with the Royals, who were promoted as Championship winners last season.

“It’s a great feeling to have signed,” Mariappa said. “The Premier League is the best in the world.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to come here, try to work my way into the team and perform for Reading Football Club.”

Gunter added: “Everyone has made me feel really welcome and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.

“Right now, I need to focus on impressing everyone at this club and I’m really excited to get going.”

Mariappa, who made nearly 250 appearances for Watford, was Reading boss Brian McDermott’s fifth close-season signing, following the additions of Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, Nicky Shorey, Danny Guthrie and Garath McCleary.

“I’m delighted to get the deal to sign Aidy over the line, we have been chasing him all summer,” McDermott said.

“He’s been a very important player for Watford over a number of years, he is well known to most of our players already and also the staff here.

“Every single person I have spoken to about him has nothing but good things to say about him both as a player and as a person.”

And Mariappa was swiftly joined by Wales international Gunter as the former Tottenham player completed his move to the Madejski Stadium just hours later.

“Chris is another player who is young and very hungry,” McDermott said.

“He’s already played more than 200 games at club level, plus another 37 for his country, which is phenomenal for someone so young.

“With all the business we’ve done this summer we think we’ve improved the quality in the squad considerably.”