Tag Archive for Crystal Palace

AJ Finally Completes Fulham Switch

Andy Johnson

Andy Johnson has finally completed his long-awaited move from Everton to Fulham for a fee in the region of £10 million, according to Sky Sports News. He has signed a four-year contract at Craven Cottage…

The striker is thought to have wanted a move back to London for personal reasons.

He had his medical over a week ago but, due to Fulham’s notoriously strict policies and fears over an old injury, it has taken until today for a new fee to be agreed in light of the injury risk and the deal has now been completed.

Everton manager David Moyes was eager to hold onto the former Crystal Palace hit-man and insisted he would not be sold to finance a move for Joao Moutinho or Diego Milito.

He later revealed that Johnson was the one who in fact had his heart set on leaving the club and Fulham were determined to secure his services as something of a replacement for fan favourite Brian McBride, who returned to his native United States at the end of last season.

The 27-year-old has been a little less than prolific for the Toffees since signing for £8.6 million in 2006, but the club have nevertheless made a sizeable profit in their sale to Fulham, as the fee is due to rise as high as £13 million based on appearances.

The initial deal was to present the cash up front, but concerns over an old injury revealed by Fulham’s stringent medical examinations resulted in a week of renegotiation over the transfer fee, which Fulham were determined to cut considerably and make contingent on the player making a certain number of appearances.

Johnson is Fulham’s twelfth signing of the summer, as Roy Hodgson looks to entirely restructure his squad in order to push up towards mid-table following last season’s dramatic last day escape from the drop.

Johnson has been capped eight times for England, but has yet to score.

Ref From Chet Winter, Goal.com

Johnson not for sale, says Moyes

Andrew Johnson

Everton manager David Moyes has insisted that England striker Andrew Johnson is not for sale.

Speculation has mounted over the 27-year-old’s future, with several clubs reportedly interested in him.

However, Moyes has moved quickly to dispel the rumours and said the club have no intention of letting him leave as he remains a key part of his plans.

“Andy Johnson is not for sale - it is that simple,” Moyes told the official club website.

“He is a highly-valued member of my senior squad and I look forward to seeing him when the players report back for pre-season training.”

Johnson joined Everton in 2006 for £8.6m from Crystal Palace and has scored 22 goals in all competitions from 64 starts.

He only signed a new five-year deal with the club in November 2007 after being linked with a move to West Ham.

Right-back Hibbert ruptured his medial ligaments in the penultimate game of last season against Arsenal and faces an anxious wait to see if he will require surgery.

“I’m hoping for the specialist to say that I won’t need an operation and I just want to kick on from where I am now,” Hibbert told evertonTV.

“We didn’t realise at first how bad it was and then the specialist said it was bad - but it’s just one of those things.”

Yobo has revealed that he has been suffering from an ankle knock while on international duty with Nigeria this summer.

The defender said he has been playing through the pain for his country but is confident he will be fit in time for Everton’s Premier League opener against Blackburn on 16 August.

“What many people don’t know is that I have been playing with an ankle injury,” he confirmed.

“I was supposed to rest it but we had crucial games to play and we were short at the back so I was needed because of injuries so I just had to force myself to play.

“The medical team here in Nigeria have been great and they helped me to manage it for this period.

“Now I have to give it the rest it needs so I can be ready for pre-season training with my club.”

Ref From BBC SPORT