Yakubu signs – but the search goes on

Aug 30 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON yesterday finally completed the club record £11.25million transfer of Ayegbeni Yakubu from Middlesbrough – then stepped up their race to sign a new midfielder before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.

Yakubu has put pen to paper on a five-year deal after being granted a work permit following a hearing in Sheffield yesterday.

The 24-year-old forward’s initial application was automatically rejected because he had not figured in the required 75% of Nigeria’s internationals in the last two years after a falling out with a previous coach.

But, as expected, Everton successfully argued their case for Yakubu to be granted a new permit given he has been plying his trade in the Premier League with Portsmouth and then Middlesbrough since January 2003.

Yakubu becomes Everton’s record signing, surpassing the £8.6million they splashed out to sign Andrew Johnson from Crystal Palace last summer.

And the forward reveals the lure of competing for Champions League qualification convinced him to swap the Riverside for Goodison.

“I am happy to be here,” said Yakubu. “It is a great feeling to meet a lot of good players and see the spirit that they have.

“I have always said that I want to play for a club that plays in Europe and I think they have the ambition to move forward.

“They want to finish in the first four and the Champions League and play in the UEFA Cup, and for me that is my dream. I know there is a long way to go and I want to be part of that, to be successful and to have that dream.

“I chose to go to Middlesbrough because they were in Europe.

“At the moment they are not doing it. I think I made the right decision to come to this place. It is a massive club and it is a great feeling.

“There are great players and you want to play for a big club.”

Everton manager David Moyes expressed his delight at finally capturing his fourth major signing of the summer, with Yakubu having netted 78 goals in 195 appearances since moving to England.

“He has a very good goal scoring record in the Premier League and he also offers strength and power,” he said. “We hope he continues his good scoring record with us.

“We have some good strikers in our squad already and he adds further depth and quality to our squad.”

Only Thierry Henry has scored more Premier League goals than Yakubu over the past four years, who could forge a £20million strike partnership with Johnson for Saturday’s trip to Bolton Wanderers.

Moyes hopes to have also brought in a new midfielder by then after Manuel Fernandes opted to join Valencia instead earlier this week. With the transfer window closing tomorrow for four months, Everton are pursuing a number of options, including Fulham’s Papa Bouba Diop and Stephen Appiah of Fenerbahce.

Diop, a 29-year-old Senegal international, is keen to depart Craven Cottage and has been told by manager Lawrie Sanchez he can leave for a fee of around £3million.

Everton are believed to have made an enquiry for Appiah and been told the 26-year-old Ghana international is not for sale.

However, they won’t be deterred as the player is desperate for a move to England and is also being tracked by West Ham United.

Moyes is also exploring a number of other options, although a fresh move for Swiss international Johann Vogel of Real Betis is considered highly unlikely.

Meanwhile, both Yakubu and Victor Anichebe have been called up by Nigeria for their final African Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho on September 8.