Norwich City sign striker James Vaughan from Everton

Norwich City have signed striker James Vaughan from Everton on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Vaughan, 22, is Norwich's first signing since returning to the top flight.

The England Under-21 international spent much of this season on loan at Championship club Crystal Palace, scoring nine goals in 30 games.

"I've got no worries. I think he'll do great. He was a handful for Palace and more than helped them stay up," said Norwich boss Paul Lambert.

"He's a terrific lad. He's been in the Premier League before and scored goals at that level.

"Sometimes, when kids burst on the scene, pretty early it can take a bit of time before that newness goes away.

"He just needs a fresh start I think and Norwich can provide that for him.

"He's someone who's been on my mind to try and get in and he'll make the competition for places harder for everybody else," Lambert told BBC Radio Norfolk.

The striker became the youngest Premier League goalscorer when he scored on his Everton debut, at the age of 16 years and 271 days, in the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in April 2005.

But his time with the Toffees was disrupted by injury and he struggled to establish a first team place, heading off on loan spells at Derby, Leicester and eventually Palace.

"It was hard to leave Everton," Vaughan told the club's website. "I've been there since I was six but now it's time to move on and try and get some games elsewhere."

"I'm really happy to get it done so early in the summer. I'm already looking forward to getting back into training.

"I was very impressed with Norwich last season. Obviously, getting promoted two seasons in a row isn't easy and a lot of credit has to go to the team for doing that.

"The club is going in the right direction and hopefully I can join and keep that going in the Premier League."
Taken from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13581063.stm

Norwich City have begun strengthening for their return to the Premier League next season by agreeing a £2.5m fee with Everton for the striker James Vaughan.
Taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/27/norwich-james-vaughan-everton

Will be intersting to see how this pans out. Vaughan was highly rated by Everton at one point then a couple of knee injuries set him back. £2.5 mill a good thing or a gamble??

Was an excellent prospect when he was around 17/18, but those injuries damaged him so badly. He'll never reach the dizzy heights people first thought he'd reach; I think he was probably better at 18 then he is now (After I last watched him).

I can't understand why Everton and Moyes seem to be on a mission to get rid of all their strikers without ever replacing them.

Yakubu will probably go this summer after being loaned out last year, which will leave them with just Saha and Beckford. Something is seriously up, surely?

They'll probably be looking at signing some there's plenty of time before the start of the season they also have: Magaye Gueye, Jose Baxter, Kieran Agard, Victor Anichebe and Apostolos Vellios who have all played for the first team.

as a norwich fan, im certainly not convinced but Lambert often proves us wrong.
I think 2.5million is a hell of a lot of money for somebody who has only scored 19 career club goals....

I think if Vaughan gets games he will be a good signing. The problem seems to be staying fit he has been unlucky with injuries. If he can stay fit and get a run of games together he should do well.

I guess it's good they've managed to get the deal sorted so early they can then make sure Vaughan prepares the way Norwich want him to. I hope he manages to stay injury free for the entire season, and help to keep Norwich in the Premier League. Whether it was a good deal or not remains to be seen, if he spends his career at Norwich scoring plenty of goals then it would be £2.5million well spent, if he spends his time constantly injured or lacking match fitness then it won't be a good deal.

Since making an impressive goal scoring debut as a sixteen year old, he seems to have been around quite a while and done very little.

Francis Jeffers comes to mind ....

guildfordbat wrote:Since making an impressive goal scoring debut as a sixteen year old, he seems to have been around quite a while and done very little.

Francis Jeffers comes to mind ....

The fox in the box!

'The fox in the box' - well remembered, PrettyboyKev.

I think it's fair to say that Jeffers didn't live up to that billing nor the several millions pounds fee when he also left Everton.

He is at Motherwell now and couldn't even get a regular start for them. Definately a waste of talent.

Vaughn is a great prospect, the key is keeping him fit but if you can do that then you have a player who ticks all the boxes

also had bid accepted for morrison to make 9 strikers on the books and 3,5mil bid turned down for snodgrass

Will be intersting to see how this pans out. Vaughan was highly rated by Everton at one point then a couple of knee injuries set him back. £2.5 mill a good thing or a gamble??
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I think that's a lot of money for a player of his ability and achievements, you have Holt, Jackson, Morison if he comes, all 3 are much better players imo. I'm a Newcastle fan but delighted you went up, however i would be a bit worried the manager spending £2.5 million on a player like that, a championship at best player imo.

I dont think any Norwich fan will worry about any of Lamberts decisions

all signings king lambert has made so far have come off very well. he seems to find the best of the players

remember season just gone most players came from league 1

Not only Francis Jeffers. Danny Cadamarteri is another Everton protege not to fulfill early promise.

I actually think this is decent business in todays market. Give him a chance, I'll reckon he'll score a few goals.