Everton

Football in brief: Yakubu was forced out, Owls set for Sodje deal

By Bimbo Adesina ⋅ August 24, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Aiyegbeni may debut for Everton on Saturday
After agreeing to a club record £11.25m move from Middlesbrough to Everton on Thursday, Nigeria’s Yakubu Aiyegbeni could make his debut against Blackburn on Saturday.

Aiyegbeni was issued Everton’s number nine jersey after agreeing personal terms and passing a medical. James Beattie last wore the prestigious number nine shirt. Aiyegbeni missed Boro’s 2-1 win at Fulham last weekend as well as the team’s training sessions early in the week, heightening speculation that he was about to leave the club.

Blues chairman Bill Kenwright brokered the compromise after Boro demanded £12.5m and Everton originally offered £10.5m.

Aiyegbeni replaces Andy Johnson as Everton’s record signing, though is likely to partner him in Saturday’s teatime televised clash with Blackburn. Johnson pulled out of England’s friendly on Wednesday, but the Blues expect him to be fit to play.

Aiyegbeni has scored 35 goals in two seasons at the Riverside, but became disillusioned with life in the North East and failed to find the net in his last 14 games.

Boro senior players gang up against Yakubu
Facts have begun to emerge about why Yakubu decided to dump Middlesbrough for Everton. Footballing World has gathered that some of Boro’s senior players were not comfortable with the Nigerian striker remaining at the club because he was no longer pulling his weight, and so put pressure on coach Gareth Southgate to offload him

Martins fighting for fitness
Despite missing Nigeria’s international friendly draw against Macedonia on Wednesday due to injury, Obafemi Martins said that injury would not stop him playing for Newcastle in Sunday’s North East derby against Middlesbrough. He was injured during last weekend’s game against Aston Villa, although the problem is not thought to be serious.

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has played down rumours linking Martins with an imminent move away from St James’ Park. Both Arsenal and Manchester United have been linked with the 22-year-old Nigerian, who has scored 19 goals in 48 appearances for the Magpies since his arrival from Inter Milan.

“We all know the situation regarding the clause in Obafemi’s contract, but no-one has enquired about activating it since I’ve been here. We’ve had a massive amount of speculation all summer, all through June, July and August, but not one football club has made contact with us saying ‘we’re going to activate the clause,” Allardyce said.

He continued, “Manchester United are the same, they’ve made no contact whatsoever and he’s still a Newcastle player. There has been speculation about Obafemi Martins every week since I joined Newcastle and he’s still here.”

The striker has insisted on more than one occasion this summer that he has no desire to leave the North East. Having moved his mother, sisters and brothers to Tyneside, Martins last week described his contentment with life at St James’s Park and – although a bid over £13m would leave him powerless to oppose a deal – Allardyce has been steadfast in his assertion the 22-year-old will not be sold. Martins last week insisted he understood there would be times when he doesn’t make the starting XI, but it remains to be seen whether he will be satisfied with a seat on the bench.

Chievo refuse to release Nsofor
Relegated Italian outfit Chievo have told Obinna Nsofor to forget any dream of joining any of the suitors that have lined up to sign him because he is a crucial part of the team’s promotion push.

Nsofor will have to stay with Chievo for at least one more season, according to the latest reports from Italy. The prodigiously talented Nigerian is jointly owned by Inter and Chievo and has amassed a growing list of admirers due to the tremendous promise he has shown since arriving in Italy in 2005.

However, the likes of Parma, Cagliari and Fiorentina look set to fail in their bid to take advantage of the Flying Donkey’s drop into Serie B.

The robustly built 20-year-old forward was expected to remain in Serie A following Chievo’s demotion, but it now seems that he will have to content himself with providing the goals to power the Verona side’s promotion push.

“Obinna will play for Chievo next season,” insisted Chievo president Luca Campadelli. “There is a five-year contract and it will be respected.”

Obinna’s situation is extremely complicated. Inter Milan helped to finance his move from Nigerian club Enyimba to Chievo in exchange for part-ownership of the player and are reported to own the player’s registration, loaning him to Chievo in a complex agreement which has also seen him recently signed a five-year deal with the Bentegodi side.

Wednesday close to sealing Sodje deal
Sheffield Wednesday are believed to be in talks with Reading defender Sam Sodje. The 28-year-old Nigerian was spotted at the game with Wolves as the Owls lost 3-1. Wednesday have refused to comment on a possible move, but Owls manager Brian Laws says he is desperate to strengthen his defence, “We’ve spoken to a club in the last few days and managed to reach an agreement and we’ve now had talks with the player,” said Laws.

He added: “We’re making silly mistakes in games and that is costing us. I’m extremely concerned with the goals we’ve conceded and I need to address the problem.”

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