Reading have signed experienced Nigerian international forward Yakubu on a deal which runs until the end of the season.
The 32-year-old was a free agent after leaving Qatari side Al Rayya and has now agreed a short term deal with the Royals.
Yakubu has previously played for Portsmouth, Everton, Middlesbrough, Leicester and Blackburn, and is joint-second behind Didier Drogba in the list of top African goalscorers in Premier League history.
Reading boss Steve Clarke said, “An experienced goalscorer, Yakubu brings a fantastic scoring record to this club and his addition will complement the strikers we’ve already got and help us to improve as a team in the latter stages of the season.
“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 a no-risk signing for us and I look forward to him scoring goals for Reading Football Club.”
Yakubu was taken to England in 2003 by then Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp and scored 28 Premier League goals in two seasons.
He moved to Middlesbrough in 2005 and then on to Everton two years later for a fee of £11.25m, scoring 33 goals in four years on Merseyside.
He also scored 17 top-flight goals for Blackburn in the 2011-12 season before departing for Chinese side Guangzhou.
He has 57 caps for Nigeria and has represented his country at four Africa Cup of Nations events and a World Cup.
Reading are 16th in the Championship table, seven points clear of the relegation zone, but could welcome Yakubu into their squad for Saturday’s trip to Wolves subject to international clearance and the standard ratification procedures.
