Everton have agreed a club record fee of £11.25m for
Middlesbrough striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu. Boro say they have given
the 24-year-old Nigerian permission to begin talks with the
Toffees. Portsmouth were also reportedly interested in bringing the
striker they signed from Maccabi Haifa in 2003, back to Fratton
Park.
A Boro spokesman said: "We can confirm we've agreed a fee, but will
only confirm it once the deal is complete." Yakubu featured in
Boro's opening two Premiership games of the season, but was left
out of their weekend victory at Fulham.
Sources close to Yakubu recently claimed the Nigerian had not
submitted a transfer request to Boro boss Gareth Southgate. Boro
paid Portsmouth £7m for Yakubu in July 2005, impressed by a
goalscoring record that saw him notch 29 goals in 65 Premier League
appearance for the Fratton Park club.
