David Moyes has once again shown he is no stranger to the leading lights of the lower leagues by snapping up former Leeds striker Jermain Beckford on a free transfer. Beckford, whose contract was cancelled by the Elland Road club last weekend, has signed a four-year contract and joins the likes of Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka in stepping up to the Premiership thanks to a show of faith by the Everton boss.
Despite his inexperience in the big time, Beckford is perhaps most remembered for his third-round winner against Man United in last season’s FA Cup and -most significantly- given Moyes’ eye for picking out players who will fit seamlessly into his Premier League side, it would be little surprise were the 2009-10 League One Player of the Year to prove himself a success.
In addition to Beckford’s goal threat, the Everton manager will be looking for a striker with a proven fitness record; last season Louis Saha and Yakubu managed a mere sixteen 90 minute league appearances between them, as, once again, injury blighted their respective seasons.
The Statistics
Everton’s new forward actually began his career in the Chelsea youth team, but, having been deemed surplus to requirements, subsequently ended up at non-league Wealdstone, where he racked up a record of 54 goals in 82 games.
That eye for goal caught the attention of Leeds United, but his career there saw Beckford eased into matters, initially being farmed out on loan, first to Carlisle, then Scunthorpe, with a combined record of 9 goals in 22 games.
Finally back at Leeds on a permanent basis, Beckford grabbed the chance to show his capabilities, netting 85 times in 150 games in all competitions, as his critical goals helped Leeds- finally- climb out of Division 1, scoring a minimum of 20 league goals per season for the Yorkshire giants.
The Prospects
Rumours continue to link Yakubu with a move away from Goodison Park this summer and Saha, despite a good start to the season, scored just 2 league goals in the 2010 calendar year. There’s no doubt that Moyes really needs to find a front man he can rely upon to be available for selection week-in, week-out. Last season, Everton’s campaign was ravaged by injuries right throughout the squad and only when a consistency of selection arrived did they begin to bullet up the table.
Beckford has managed 116 league games in the three previous seasons at Leeds, a sign indicative of his ability to stay relatively injury-free, and his pace and strength (he’s 6 foot 2) would fit perfectly into Everton’s style of play, given Moyes’ penchant for single-striker systems. The Toffees boss is also a fan of 4-4-2 on occasion, a set-up that would suit Beckford too, given this was the typical formation used by Leeds during his time there.
If Everton can keep their fantastic midfield together for next season, Beckford, given service by the likes of Mikael Arteta and Tim Cahill, will surely be one to watch. A price range of £6.5-£7.0m in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) seems likely, but if his form (and perhaps injuries to others) puts him in the driving seat, he could well turn out to be a bit of a bargain.