Yakubu seals Toffees move
29 Aug 2007 - 15:40:28
Everton have completed the club record £11.25million signing of Ayegbeni Yakubu from Middlesbrough after the Home Office granted the Nigeria striker a work permit on appeal.
The Toffees agreed a fee with their Premier League rivals for the former Portsmouth frontman last week, but the move was held up after Yakubu was denied a permit.
The 24-year-old's decision not to play for Nigeria at the 2006 African Cup of Nations saw him fall below the required number of international appearances - currently 75 per cent - to be granted the necessary paperwork.
However, following a successful appeal in Sheffield, the permit has now been granted and Yakubu has put pen to paper on a five-year contract at Goodison Park.
The prolific marksman is secondly only to former Arsenal captain Thierry Henry in the Premier League goalscoring charts over the past four seasons.
"I am happy to be here. It is a great feeling to come over and meet a lot of good players and see the spirit that they have," he told the club's official website.
"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 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."