Everton duo sign new deals

Soccer: Everton defenders Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo have both agreed new five-year contracts with the club.

Soccer:Everton defenders Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo have both agreed new five-year contracts with the club.

Jagielka, currently recovering from a knee ligament operation which is likely to sideline him until the middle of August, was this week named the Toffees' player of the season.

He put in numerous impressive performances in central defence and scored the penalty which beat Manchester United in their semi-final shoot-out to book a place in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Reports earlier this week had suggested Yobo was unsettled at the club but his agreement of a new deal puts paid to any thoughts of him leaving Goodison Park.

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"Everton are delighted contract negotiations with both Joseph Yobo and Phil Jagielka have now been successfully concluded," said a club statement.

"Both players will sign new five-year deals with the club imminently."

Yobo was manager David Moyes' first major signing in 2002 and the Nigeria captain is likely to start at Wembley next Saturday in place of Jagielka.

Earlier this week Jagielka, signed from Sheffield United for £4million (€4.5m) in July 2007, said he wanted to commit his future to the club.

"Obviously if I had not got injured, discussions might have been a whole lot easier," he said.

"There's not much I can do. I can't perform for a few months but if it's a case of me committing my future, there is no issue with that.

"The fans, the staff, the players - everything about the club suits me to a tee."