Window of opportunity opens for screen fitter Beckford

The former Wealdstone striker has joined Everton on a four-year deal from Leeds after having his contract cancelled.

Beckford, 26, scored 31 goals for the Yorkshire club last season, the final one coming on the final day against Bristol Rovers, which clinched promotion from League One. That took his tally for Leeds to 85 in 150 appearances and caught the eye of Everton manager David Moyes.

After passing a medical at the club's Finch Farm training complex, Beckford said: "I wish the season was starting tomorrow.

"I've been fortunate enough to score goals at the clubs that I've been at and hopefully I'll be able to do that here as well. I hope I can hit the ground running.

"Finch Farm is terrific. It makes such a difference when you've got somewhere like this. I can imagine the players coming in here smiling and if you are happy when you are training, it can only be good."

Beckford is looking forward to pitting his wits against some of the world's top players. He said: "I am excited by it. It's going to be a test, I know that, but I am looking forward to it. I want to test myself at the highest level and luckily for me, David Moyes showed an interest in me, showed some faith in me and hopefully I can repay that.

"I've been impressed a lot by him. He seems like the type of guy who will sit down and tell you where you're going wrong, what you're doing right and what you might need to work on. It is a club I can learn from and it can help me develop into a better player. Fingers crossed, I can be really involved in taking this club where it wants to be."

Meanwhile Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy has hinted that he could be playing for Cardiff City next season. The Cardiff-born player, who turns 31 in July, says if Manchester City let him go he would not move to another team in England or to a European league. He said: "There's more than one or two people run that club (Man City] so if I get the vote of confidence off five or six people then I'll stay. But if it's a couple in other people's favour then it might be a bit different because I do want to be wanted. I'll be very shocked if it's another English club, I'd be very, very shocked. Playing anywhere else in Europe would be too much of a strain on my family because they do live in Cardiff. So it really limits me to maybe one place so that would probably be it."

Luka Modric has signed a new six-year contract to keep him at Tottenham until 2016.

Coca-Cola League One side Colchester have appointed John Ward as their new manager. The 59-year-old was Aidy Boothroyd's assistant at the Community Stadium and has now stepped into the hot seat.