Kenyan international Ayub Masika Timbe has joined English Championship side Reading FC on a six month loan deal the club has confirmed.
Timbe joins the Royals from Chinese side Beijing Renhe until the end of the season.
“Reading Football Club are pleased to announce that winger Ayub Masika has agreed to join the Royals on loan from Beijing Renhe until the end of the season,” Reading FC confirmed on their website.
The winger has impressed boss Mark Bowen after a trial stint with the manager describing him as very talented and will help the team.
“Masika is a precocious talent with real speed that means he can hurt the opposition in good areas of the field,” he said. “We’ve had a look at him in training over recent weeks and he’s shown good qualities,” he added.
“He’s catching up on his fitness a little bit with the Chinese league being out of season at the moment, but I think he can be a real asset to us and I’m delighted to have him here.
The winger has previously played for Lierse in Belgium before moving to China where he has assisted and scored goals for the past two years.
He was part of Kenya’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad and performed well despite the country failing to get past the group stages.
Reading Chief Executive Nigel Howe also praised the new signing describing him as quick and experienced.
“A quick winger with experience of international football and both the Belgian and Chinese top flight, I am very pleased to welcome Masika to the club. I wish him the very best of luck during his loan spell at Reading and look forward to seeing the impact he can make at first team level.”
Reading are currently 15th on the 24-team log in the Championship with 38 points in 30 games played.