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ESPNsoccernet: England |
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Friday, January 18, 2008
McFadden completes £5.75m Birmingham move
Birmingham have completed the signing of Everton striker James McFadden in a deal thought to be worth up to £6million.
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The Scotland international is reunited with Blues boss Alex McLeish after
agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.
The Goodison Park club announced the completion of the deal on their website
this morning. The deal has gone through in time for McFadden to be available for
tomorrow's visit of Chelsea.
Birmingham revealed McFadden has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with
an option for a further two years.
The fee is £5million initially, rising to £6million depending on appearances.
McFadden is expected to go straight into the side for tomorrow's home
Premier League clash with Chelsea.
McLeish is confident McFadden can make a big impact during the next five years
with Blues.
The former Scotland boss said: 'I am delighted to have signed James. 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.
'When he has come into the side, I am not so sure anyone has looked as good
as him.'
Blues striker Garry O'Connor is relishing the chance of reigniting his
partnership with McFadden in the Scotland side at club level.
He said: 'This is a great positive for Birmingham. I've worked with James in
the past and he is a fantastic player. It is a great addition to the squad.
'He plays in any position - midfield or striker - so he is great to have him
in the team. We played a couple of times together for Scotland and James never loses the
ball and he has got that passion and commitment towards the game.
'He fights for every ball. He has got that attitude that if he loses the
ball, he gets so frustrated and has to run back and chase people.
'He has got that little bit of quality which you have seen at international
level and now probably in the Premier League. He can score fantastic goals from
anywhere on the pitch.'
McLeish has already signed Hibernian full-back David Murphy for £1.5million
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.