• Former Everton and Middlesbrough striker plays in friendly defeat to Reading • Club not confident of convincing Nigeria international to join permanently

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The former Everton, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni played 60 minutes for the National League club Boreham Wood in a pre-season friendly against Reading on Saturday.

Yakubu, who also counts Reading among his former clubs, last played professionally for the Turkish team Kayserispor. He is thought to live in the Boreham Wood area, and featured in the match at Meadow Park, although he was unable to get on the scoresheet as the hosts lost 5-0.

Luke Garrard, the Boreham Wood manager, told the Boreham Wood and Elstree Times that he thought the club’s chances of pulling off a permanent deal for the striker were slim.

“Realistically I think he has offers and ambitions to play at the highest level available,” Garrard said. “I’ll never say never.

“In terms of today it was just nice to get him involved. He is of a certain level and he is a model pro.”

Middlesbrough sign former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés Read more

Yakubu, who has been capped 57 times by Nigeria, was a revelation after being signed by Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth before joining Middlesbrough in 2005. The striker, 33, has scored 96 Premier League goals, making him the third-highest African goalscorer in the league’s history, behind Didier Drogba and Emmanual Adebayor.

Meanwhile, Reading have announced the signing of the Le Havre striker Joseph Mendes on a two-year contract, to become Jaap Stam’s third summer signing since joining the club in June.