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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
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2003 2003-2005 2005-2007 2007-	Julius Berger Hapoel Kfar Saba Maccabi Haifa Portsmouth Middlesbrough Everton	00 0(0) 23 0(6) 36 (24) 81 (36) 73 (25) 13 0(9)
National team2
2000-	Nigeria	32 (14)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:50, 15 December 2007 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 31 August 2007. * Appearances (Goals)

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

Yakubu Aiyegbeni (born 22 November 1982 in Benin City, Nigeria), often known as Yakubu, is a Nigerian footballer, who currently plays as a striker for Everton in the English Premier League.

Prior to 2007/08 season, Yakubu was the second highest scorer over the past few seasons that he has played in the Premier League, trailing only Thierry Henry. He is also the highest scoring African player in Premier League history.

Contents 1 Club career 2 Portsmouth 3 Middlesbrough 4 Everton 5 International career 6 Career data 7 Honours 7.1 Maccabi Haifa 7.2 Portsmouth 7.3 Middlesbrough 8 Notes and references 9 External links

A powerful 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.

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 - was the goal that ultimately ensured Portsmouth's safety from relegation in the 2004-2005 season.

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]}

Yakubu completed a move to Everton in August 2007 for a club record fee of £11.25m, after being granted a work permit.^[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.

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. He is currently the Premier League's joint top scorer with 9 goals to his name.

• Maccabi Haifa Youth team (1999)
• Hapoel Kfar Saba (2000)
  • A minor premier division club, played on loan
• Maccabi Haifa (2001 - 2003)
  • 24 domestic league goals in 50 appearances
  • 8 domestic cup goals in 9 appearances
  • 7 domestic European Cup goals in 12 appearances
• Portsmouth F.C. (2002 - 2003)
  • 7 Nationwide First Division goals in 14 appearances
• Portsmouth F.C. (2003-2005)
  • 29 Premier League goals in 67 appearances
  • 3 FA Cup goals in 6 appearances
  • 4 League Cup goals in 5 appearances
• Middlesbrough F.C. (2005-2007 )
  • 25 Premier League goals in 73 appearances
  • 8 FA Cup goals in 15 appearances
  • 0 League Cup goals in 2 appearances
  • 2 UEFA cup goals in 14 appearances
• Everton F.C. (2007- )
  • 9 Premier League goals in 15 appearances
  • 2 League Cup goals in 2 appearances
  • 0 UEFA cup goals in 3 appearances

• Israeli Premier League :
  • Winner: 2000-01, 2001-02

• Israel State Cup :
  • Runner-up: 2001-02

• Toto Cup :
  • Winner: 2002

• Football League Division One :
  • Winner: 2002-03

• UEFA Cup :
  • Runner-up: 2005-06

• Yakubu Aiyegbeni career stats at Soccerbase

v • d • e Everton F.C. – current squad
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