Yakubu Aiyegbeni

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Yakubu
Personal information
Full name Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Date of birth 22 November 1982 (1982-11-22) (age 25)
Place of birth    Benin City, Nigeria
Height 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Everton
Number 22
Youth clubs
1998–1999
1999
 Julius Berger
Maccabi Haifa
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1999–2003
1999–2000
2003
2003–2005
2005–2007
2007–		 Maccabi Haifa
→ Hapoel Kfar Saba (loan)
→ Portsmouth (loan)
Portsmouth
Middlesbrough
Everton		 50 (24)
36 (24)
13 0(7)
68 (29)
73 (26)
29 (22)   
National team2
2000– Nigeria 36 (16)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 11 May 2008.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 29 January 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

This article is about the Nigerian footballer. For other people named Yakubu, see Yakubu (disambiguation).

Yakubu Aiyegbeni (born 22 November 1982 in Benin City, Nigeria), nicknamed "The Yaku" and generally known as simply Yaku, is a Nigerian footballer, who currently plays as a striker for Everton in the English Premier League. He is the highest scoring African player in Premier League history.


Contents

[edit] Club career

A powerful pacy striker, Yakubu started his career when bought by Israeli team Maccabi Haifa, who loaned him for one season to Hapoel Kfar Saba. After returning to Haifa, he won two championships and had a phenomenal scoring record with the club, both in the domestic and international competitions - breaking several club records. He came to England and trained with Derby County but could not obtain a work permit at the time. After scoring 7 goals in 8 European Cup appearances (including a hat-trick against Olympiacos FC and another against Manchester United) in the 2002/03 season UEFA Champions League, Yakubu moved to English club Portsmouth in January 2003.

[edit] Portsmouth

His goals helped fire Portsmouth to the Division One (now Football League Championship) title, scoring at a rate of one goal every two games.

During the club's debut Premier League season, in which they finished 13th, he scored 16 times in 35 starts, including 4 in a single game as Portsmouth defeated Middlesbrough 5-1 on the final day of the season. During the summer of 2004 several other Premiership teams were interested in purchasing Yakubu for up to £10 million, but he chose to stay and help consolidate the club's Premiership position. His final goal for Portsmouth in May 2005 before he left the club - the equaliser in a 1-1 home draw to Bolton Wanderers in the penulitimate league game of the season - was the goal that ensured Portsmouth would not be relegated from Premiership in the 2004-2005 season.

[edit] Middlesbrough

After the 2004-05 season, he transferred from Pompey to Middlesbrough F.C. for a £7.5 million fee. In one of his most memorable matches since joining Boro, Yakubu (joint Man Of The Match with Fabio Rochemback) scored the third goal in a rampant 3-0 win over runaway Premiership leaders Chelsea, ensuring their second defeat of the season. Middlesbrough also had a memorable 4-1 home win against Manchester United, and a 2-1 win over Arsenal, with Yakubu scoring in both games.

Yakubu scored the only goal of the game with a penalty in the first leg of the UEFA Cup last 16 round at home against A.S. Roma, giving Middlesbrough a 1-0 victory. Middlesbrough later went through on away goals, despite losing 1-2 in the Stadio Olimpico.

His transfer from Portsmouth to Middlesbrough in July 2005 is one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns because of the lack of co-operation from agents Pinhas Zahavi and Barry Silkman[1].

Throughout the 2006-2007 close season Yakubu was constantly linked with moves away from the Riverside. The likes of Portsmouth, Manchester City and Everton were all reported to be lining up bids for the frontman.[citation needed]

[edit] Everton

Yakubu finally made his way to Everton in August 2007 for a fee of £11.25m, after being granted a work permit. Were he wears the shirt number 22, he was initially offered the number 9 however he wanted a bigger number and asked for number 20, as this was already taken he wanted the closest number to 20 that was bigger. He was given the number and he said he would aim to get 22 goals in his first season, he managed 21. [2]He scored 10 minutes into his debut for the club, the first goal in a 2-1 win against Bolton Wanderers, at the Reebok Stadium on 1 September 2007. He scored his second Premier League goal for Everton against Derby County at Pride Park. He then scored the opening goal following a slick team passing move early in the match against Birmingham City that finished in a 3-1 victory.

Yakubu carried on his rich vein of scoring form with a double in a 7-1 demolition of Sunderland in the Premier League at Goodison Park on 24 November. His streak continued with a 'perfect' hat-trick against Fulham F.C. in a 3-0 win in the Premier League at Goodison Park on 8 December, the first two from close range and capped with a skillful third.

Yakubu has quickly become a favourite with Everton's fans who chant "Feed the Yak And He Will Score!", the chant having travelled with him from Middlesbrough.

On 12 December, Yakubu netted a late winner in Everton's 2-1 win at West Ham United in a Carling Cup quarter-final match. Yakubu then struck the opening goal as Everton beat the Hammers 2-0 in the Premier League just three days later. On 21 February, Yakubu struck another hat-trick against SK Brann in the 2nd leg of the first knock out stage of the UEFA cup resulting in a 6-1 victory. Yakubu again found the net, opening the scoring against Manchester City just four days later.

On the 2nd March 2008, Yakubu scored a header against Portsmouth, in the first minute of the game. He then scored the final goal to seal a 3-1 victory, with a sublime finish after beating Sol Campbell.

His double against Newcastle United in the 3-1 win at Goodison on the last day of the 2007-08 season helped the Toffees clinch 5th place and a place in the 2008-09 UEFA Cup competition.

He finished his first season with 15 Premier League goals to his name, and 21 goals in all competitions for Everton.

[edit] Statistics

Club Performance
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Everton 2007–08 29 15 1 0 3 3 7 3 39 21
Total 29 15 1 0 3 3 7 3 39 21
Middlesbrough 2007–08 2 0 - - - - - - 2 0
Middlesbrough 2006–07 37 12 8 4 - - - - 45 16
Middlesbrough 2005–06 34 13 7 4 2 0 13 2 56 19
Total 73 25 15 8 2 0 13 2 103 35
Portsmouth 2004-05 30 13 2 2 3 2 - - 35 17
Portsmouth 2003-04 37 16 4 1 2 2 - - 43 19
Portsmouth(on loan) 2002-03 13 7 - - - - - - 13 7
Total 80 36 6 3 5 4 0 0 91 43
  • Maccabi Haifa (2001 - 2003)
    • 24 domestic league goals in 50 appearances
    • 9 domestic cup goals in 9 appearances
    • 10 domestic European Cup goals in 12 appearances
  • Hapoel Kfar Saba (2000)
    • A minor premier division club, played on loan
  • Maccabi Haifa Youth team (1999)

[edit] Honours

[edit] Maccabi Haifa

[edit] Portsmouth

[edit] Middlesbrough

[edit] Everton

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ "What Stevens said about each club", www.telegraph.co.uk, 2007-06-16. Retrieved on 2007-06-17. 
  2. ^ "BLUES SIGN YAKUBU", Everton FC, 2007-08-29. Retrieved on 2007-08-29. 

[edit] External links

Unofficial Fan Site

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Everton F.C. – current squad

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