Toffees seal Bilyaletdinov deal

25 August 2009 07:24
Everton have confirmed the signing of Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov from Lokomotiv Moscow for an undisclosed fee, said to be in the region of £9million. Toffees officials met with the player and his representatives in Hamburg on Monday and the 24-year-old has now signed a five-year deal at Goodison Park. The funding of the move for Bilyaletdinov, who has 28 caps to his name, is said to be linked with Joleon Lescott's proposed £24million move to Manchester City. "We are delighted to have secured the services of Diniyar," said Everton chief executive Robert Elstone. "I know David Moyes has wanted to bring him to Goodison for some time and we look forward to welcoming him." A statement on the club's official website added: "The 24-year-old will now return to Russia to complete the formalities of a visa application to enter the UK." "The player will be ineligible for Thursday's Europa League play-off second leg with Sigma Olomouc due to the Uefa registration deadline passing - and it remains unlikely that he will have arrived on Merseyside in time to prepare for the weekend's Premier League clash with Wigan." "He is due in the UK in early September for Russia's World Cup qualifier with Wales and the likelihood is that he will join up with his new team-mates for the first time ahead of the trip to Fulham the following weekend."

Source: SKY_Sports