|
McFadden completes move
18/01/2008 21:19 - (SA)
Birmingham - Scotland star James McFadden is set to go straight into the Birmingham side that will face Chelsea on Saturday after completing a £6m move from Everton.
The forward, who can play either wide on the left or as a second striker, made the switch after passing a medical and agreeing the terms of a three-and-a-half year contract with a further two-year option.
The move sees McFadden reunited with former Scotland manager Alex McLeish, now in charge of Birmingham's fight for survival in the Premier League.
Although staying at Everton would have meant being involved in a push for a place in the Champions League, the 24-year-old had grown disillusioned at Goodison Park because of his failure to nail down a regular starting spot under David Moyes.
In just over four years on Merseyside, McFadden made 137 appearances for Everton, scoring 18 goals.
Famous long-range winner
But McLeish is confident he can get a better return from a player he described as a "cocky type of Scot, who is not fazed or frightened by anything."
McFadden's scoring stats for Scotland are much better than his club figures with his 37 caps yielding 13 goals, including a famous long-range winner against France in Paris during the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
McLeish added: "He is not just a guy who can score great goals. He can also create things and make things happen and he has got a big heart.
"He is the type of player you know you are going to get everything from for the entire 90 minutes of a game.
"He has matured. He has had his initiation at Everton in the Premier League and for me he is a definite Premier League player. He has shown that in a very good Everton side this season."
McLeish has already signed Hibernian full-back David Murphy for £1.5m and is pressing ahead with his attempt to sign Aston Villa central defender Gary Cahill after being given permission to speak to him by Martin O'Neill.
- AFP
|
