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Joseph Yobo
Player
Profile
Joseph Ikpo Yobo (born September 6, 1980 in Kano) is a Nigerian
football player currently with Everton F.C. He joined Everton on
loan from Olympique Marseille in July 2002, with a £1M fee
required to register the player, becoming the first signing of
new manager David Moyes.
An option to make the move permanent was taken up and completed
in 2003 after a dispute between Yobo and Marseille was settled,
with Everton agreeing a fixed additional fee of £4M.
Yobo had previously played for Standard Liège of Belgium as well
as a loan spell at CD Tenerife. He was on the Nigerian roster at
the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played all three matches. At the 2006
African Cup of Nations he assumed the captain's role during the
absence of Jay-Jay Okocha in the tournament's early stages.
Yobo commited his future to Everton at the start of season
2006-07 by signing a new four year contract saying "I wanted
to focus on my football and do well for Everton. But I had
already made up my mind to stay long before the season
ended".
