Aiyegbeni joins Reading on short term deal

NIGERIA international, former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough  striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, has joined Championship club Reading on a deal until the end of the season. 

The 32-year-old, who has not played in England since leaving Blackburn in 2012, was a free agent after playing for Qatari club Al Rayyan. 

He has a total of 114 league goals across spells at five English clubs. 

“His addition will complement the strikers we’ve already got at Reading,” said boss Steve Clarke.  

“I know all about him as a player and I have heard very good reports about him as a personality in the dressing room. 

“He is no-risk signing for us and I look forward to him scoring goals for Reading Football Club.” 

In his last season in England with then-Premier League side Blackburn he scored 18 goals in 33 appearances. 

Reading have completed the signing of  the former Everton player on  a short-term deal.

Now 32, the ex-Nigeria international had been plying his trade in Qatar with Al Rayyan, but was available to Steve Clarke as a free agent.

Upon signing, the new Reading forward commented: ‘The Yak arrives in Reading, I’m ready to go, I’m ready to give everything, come on the Yak, we’re ready to go.’ 

Yakubu first came to England on loan to Portsmouth from Maccabi Haifa, before joining the club on a permanent deal in 2003. 

From there, he had spells as Middlesbrough and Everton, where he scored 25 goals at each, before securing a move to Blackburn in 2011.

He left England two years ago to continue his career at Guangzhou in China, but has now returned to play in the Championship.

Yakubu becomes Reading’s third arrival in the January window, following the loan signing of Chelsea starlet Nathaniel Chalobah and Slovenian left-back Jure Travner.