Everton Defender Joseph Yobo completes loan move to Fenerbahce
English Premier League club Everton’s defender Joseph Yobo has completed a move to Turkey, where he would be playing for Fenerbahce on loan.
The deal was sealed on Wednesday when the 29-year old made his way to Turkey and passed the medical. The personal terms between Yobo and Fenerbahce were also finalised on the 1st of September.
The Turkish club also has the option of signing the player permanently when the loan period ends, that is at the end of the current season.
Currently, Everton has two first-choice central defenders: Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin. John Heitinga and Jack Rodwell are also two players on the bench who can take those spots. Therefore, there was not much room for Yobo in the starting 11.
Yobo played 250 games for Everton since joining the EPL side in 2002, but he was not able to get a game for the Toffees this season, and was understandably frustrated and worried about his future at the club.
Yobo was the captain of Nigeria at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. He repeatedly played down rumours that he was forced to move out of Everton. He said that it was his own decision and he wanted to be in a team where he could play regular football. The Nigerian captain added that David Moyes has been great to him ever since he joined the club, and even now wanted him to stay back.
Yobo said that he is a fighter, and does not like to be one on the bench too often. He added that he is at a stage of his career where he cannot afford to be a fringe player and wants to be on the pitch in every game. Yobo went on to say that he still is an Everton player and is going away on loan, and if things work out in the future, he may even make his way back. He said that he had a nice long talk with the manager, and he understood his reservations and problems and the decision was made by the consensus of both the manager and him.
The 29-year old said that Everton will always remain in his heart, and the love he received from fans over all these years is something very special to him. He added that not just the fans or the manager, but the chairman and the whole management had helped him a lot during his time at the Merseyside club, and he has still not cut off all ties with the team.
Yobo believes that it’s better for him and Everton that he look for first-team football somewhere else for now. He said that Moyes is one of the most talented and astute-minded managers around; he has taken the club forward a great deal and will continue to do so.
However, there were reports earlier that Moyes did not want him to leave for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. When he came back from the tournament, it is believed that since then he was down in the pecking order at the Merseyside. Yobo denied all rumours and reiterated that there were never any problems between him and Moyes, and he is leaving the club on good terms.
Yobo said that he has been at the club for 8 years, and has become accustomed to playing English football. He added that it would be a challenge for him to adapt to a new country and a new league, but he is confident that he would be able to establish himself at his new club.
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