Yakubu seals Toffees move

Striker wins work permit

By Peter O'Rourke   Last updated: 29th August 2007  

Yakubu seals Toffees move

Yakubu: Granted work permit

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Everton have completed the signing of Yakubu Aiyegbeni after he was granted a work permit.

Yakubu has tied up his £11.25million move to Goodison Park after being granted a work permit on appeal by the Home Office.

The former Portsmouth striker was initially refused a work permit because he has failed to play 75 per cent of Nigeria's games in the last two years.

Everton had agreed a deal with Middlesbrough last week and the Nigerian has signed a five-year contract.

European ambition

"I have always said that I want to play for a club that plays in Europe," the striker told Everton's website.

"I think they have the ambition to move forward and they want to finish in the first four and the Champions League and Uefa Cup and for me that is my 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."

Yakubu could go straight into the squad and make his debut this weekend against Bolton.