Dundee United snap up former Everton star Cadamarteri

Published on Friday 22 May 2009 12:50

DUNDEE United have tied up former Everton star Danny Cadamarteri on a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old, who was the hottest property in English football when be broke into the Toffees first-team as a teenager, has agreed a pre-contract with United boss Craig Levein and will formalise his move early next month.

Cadamarteri was most recently with Huddersfield and was offered a deal to stay at the Galpharm Stadium but has opted to move to Scotland after seeing other English-based players such as Willo Flood and Warren Feeney excel in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Levein has been in the market for a new forward – although he can also be utilised as a winger – to compensate for the loss of Feeney, whose loan from Cardiff is set to expire, and Jon Daly's long-term knee injury.

"Danny can play as a striker and a winger, so he brings versatility and experience," United manager Craig Levein told the club's official website, www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk.

"In my view he will strengthen an already-impressive squad for next season's campaign."

Levein signed Cadamarteri during his time in charge at Leicester, which came after the player had served a six-month ban from the game after failing a drugs test.

The former Bradford and Leeds striker came to Huddersfield when he was signed by Clark's predecessor Andy Ritchie in the summer of 2007.

Cadamarteri, who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, started 37 games for the Terriers, scoring five goals.

Terriers boss Lee Clark told his club's official website, www.htafc.com: "We think that the contract offer we made to Danny was a fair one.

"He has exercised the option of talking to other clubs given his current deal is coming to an end.

"We wanted him to stay at Huddersfield Town and we made it clear to him and his agent that we wanted him to be a part of what we are doing here.

"In order for him to get the second year of his contract, he would have needed to be involved in the first team for a certain number of games, but he was looking for the certainty of a longer deal."