Yakubu Aiyegbeni insists he is far from finished and assured Reading fans that he has come to the Championship side to prove he still has what it takes to play at the highest level in football.
The Nigerian forward, who returned to English football on Monday after signing for Reading as a free agent until the end of the season, told The Reading Chronicle that “I’m still desperate for success. I’m not finished”.
Aiyegbeni, who has played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers, joined Reading after his contract with Qatari side Al Rayyan expired.
Reading are 16th in the Championship standings with seven points above the relegation zone, and The Royals boss Steve Clarke says he is banking on the 32-year-old, who has scored nearly 150 goals in English football, to help the team.
“I’ve been looking at our games recently where we’ve had a lot of possession in forward areas and couldn’t find the killer touch,” Skysports quoted Clarke a saying on Thursday.
“Until Monday, you’re searching the world markets for someone that can do that and then suddenly I got a call saying Yakubu was available.”
And Aiyegbeni said he was ready for the challenge, promising the Berkshire club fans that he would deliver the goods – if given the right service.
“When I get the ball I know I’m going to score, for sure,” the player, who has not played for the Super Eagles after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, told The Reading Chronicle.
“I have confidence in myself. I hope they (teammates) feed me and then I can score.
“As a striker you want to score goals. If you don’t score goals then you’re not doing your job. For me, I always believe I’ll score, no matter what league.
“It’s great to see people recognising the goals I’ve scored. People back home were excited for this move as well, so I don’t want to let anyone down.
“I’m still desperate for success. I’m not finished.”
The player, who dumped Blackburn for Chinese side Guangzhou in 2012 added, “The club has ambition.“They want to be in the Premier League next year.”
