Beckford deal done: minimal fee, heavily incentive-based

From start to finish, the Jermaine Beckford to Bolton Wanderers transfer saga took just about 70 days. From the moment that Bolton Wanderers opened discussions for the player with Leicester City the week following the season's final match to the moment that the contract was signed, the tale had a myriad of twists and turns. A fee was agreed, a medical was completed, the deal hit the rocks, the fee was thrown out, and then it was all done.

Jermaine Beckford is set to be unveiled as Dougie Freedman's seventh summer signing on Wednesday, joining Marc Tierney, Alex Baptiste, Hayden White, Conor Wilkinson, Rob Hall, and Gary Fraser as the new boys at the club. A few of the new recruits saw action on Tuesday night against Rotherham United, and it was after Wanderers lost late that Dougie Freedman revealed that the Beckford deal was done.

Speaking to the Bolton News after the match at the New York Stadium, the manager said:

"Jermaine's deal was done as of about three hours ago, so in the morning it will be announced. We've all worked very hard - even Leicester, to be fair - coming to a deal.

"We feel it's a good deal for the football club. He's a proven goalscorer, I know his character well and the deal is done on a performance-basis.

"For the deal we've got it's an absolute no-brainer for this football club for where we are right now.

"There is a very small fee involved up front but it's tied in with promotion and how many goals he scores - that's how Leicester will get their money. So if we benefit then Leicester benefit and that's why it has taken a little bit longer.

"I think Phil Gartside has done very well in making sure this deal went well for the football club."

Wanderers will pay a relatively small, undisclosed up-front fee to Leicester City and the fee could (and probably will) rise based on a number of performance incentives. As Dougie said, Bolton's league status for next year as well as Beckford's goalscoring total could see all parties come out on top.