Reading Football Club can announce that 25-year-old winger Brandon Barker has put pen to paper on a contract which will see him represent the Royals until the end of the 2021-22 season.
The left-sided midfielder has impressed in training whilst on trial with Veljko Paunovic’s first team squad in recent weeks and the the out-of-contract former Manchester City Academy product has now agreed to a contract with the club.
Manager Veljko Paunovic said, “I am very pleased to welcome Brandon to Reading on a three-month contract that is the right opportunity for both the player and the club. During his time training with us at Bearwood Park, he has shown us his ability, his hunger and the positive attitude he can bring to this squad for the final three months of the season and I am looking forward to integrating him quickly into our squad."
Barker signed his first professional contract with City back in July 2014 and, following a short loan stint at Rotherham United, made his first team debut under Manuel Pellegrini as a substitute in an FA Cup tie at Stamford Bridge six years ago.
A couple of months previously, he had scored within an hour of his first professional appearance during his stint as a Miller, and he went out on loan to successfully earn regular football with Dutch second tier side NAC Breda.
Brandon returned to the UK to spend the 2017-18 campaign in the Scottish Premiership with Hibernian and he was back south of the border the following year for a season on loan with Preston North End in the Championship.
Barker left City permanently in the summer of 2019 to join Rangers and he scored his first goal for the club on his league debut at Ibrox in a 3-1 win against Livingston. He featured in European clashes against the likes of Feyenoord, Porto and Bayer Leverkusen that season before playing a part in helping Steven Gerrard’s men claim the top-flight title in 2020-21.
He spent the second half of that title-winning season on loan at Oxford United, however, scoring the first of two goals in an away win at Swindon Town. Back at Rangers, Barker’s last game for the Scottish giants was an FA Cup win over Sterling before his contract at the club was mutually ended at the end of January.
Now the former England youth international joins the Royals on a short-term contract until the end of the season. He will take squad number 33.
Chief Executive Dayong Pang said, “Brandon is a player we have been keeping a close watch on for a number of weeks now and we are very pleased he has agreed to join the club. He will add additional competition for first team places and will hopefully play a key part in the all-important final third of our season.”
The signing remains subject to the normal ratification procedures from the relevant football authorities and the receipt of international clearance from the Scottish FA.
