Yakubu reveals he wants to leave Everton permanently

May 5 2011 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

YAKUBU wants to secure a permanent Everton exit this summer after declaring he has no future at Goodison.

The Nigeria international has been on loan at Leicester City since mid-January after David Moyes sanctioned a temporary move to the Championship club.

He has impressed for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side since, scoring 10 goals in 19 appearances, and hopes to remain in the Midlands.

Leicester are keen to keep the 28-year-old hit-man, but Everton will not be prepared to sell on the cheap as Moyes tries to boos his own summer transfer war-chest.

He said: “I don’t have a future at Everton anymore and I have to look for somewhere to go. There may be other clubs interested but I would welcome a permanent move to Leicester.

“I would love to come back again as it has been really good for me here. It’s like being at home and it feels as if I have been here for three or four years. I have really enjoyed my time at Leicester.

“Sven is one of the best managers I have ever worked with. He never puts me under any pressure and just tells me to play my game.

“For sure, he will make changes in the summer because he wants to get the club in the Premier League.”

Yakubu picked up the Foxes Goal of the Season award earlier this week for his wonder strike in the 2-0 win at Derby County back in February.

Eriksson was thrilled at the on-loan striker’s admission, after he earlier stressed it would be hard to convince him to stay in the second tier of English football.

But the former England boss accepts he will not be able to get Yakubu at a knock-down £2m price.

He said: “It is fantastic that he wants to stay here even though we are not in the Premier League. That is good. Very good news. What is going to happen I don’t know yet.

“It does help that he has indicated he wants to join us and now we have to see if Everton are now willing to negotiate with us. I guess Everton as all football clubs do, need money and I doubt if they will give him away.”

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace boss Dougie Freedman has confirmed he also wants to make James Vaughan’s loan switch from Everton permanent this summer.

The striker has been a big hit at Selhurst Park this season, scoring nine times in two loan spells to help the Eagles secure their Championship status.

Vaughan is odds-on to leave Goodison but Palace know they face stiff competition to secure his services, with Premier league new boys Norwich City also reportedly interested in doing a deal.

He said: “A deal for James Vaughan is just a case of sitting down and convincing James that this is where he wants to play his football, then looking at the financial situation and putting everything in place and seeing what the outcome is.”