Beckford: “The manager is a big part of the reason I decided to sign "

After months of negotiations, speculation and rumours it was announced on Wednesday that Jermaine Beckford has officially joined Bolton Wanderers. £1m was believed to be the enough, and then we thought we’d get him for free, but finally the fee is undisclosed. The England-bornJamaican international has officially signed a 2-year-deal with future payments to Leicester City based his success at the Reebok. Hopefully this will give him an incentive to replicate Michael Ricketts and be a 20-goals-per-season striker.

Beckford's arrival at the Wanderers’ Euxton training facilities on Wednesday, Beckford ended a 70-day transfer saga. Speaking to the clubs’ official website, Jermaine revealed that the "Dougie Freedman factor’’ was an integral part for him. The former Leeds, Everton, Huddersfield and Leicester striker is happy to be reunited with Freedman. Beckford and Freedman were striking partners in the latter stages of Freedman's career at Elland Road, and this made his decision "a no brainer."

"The manager is big part of the reason I decided to sign here. I know him quite well as a person and he’s a top guy.

"We obviously played upfront together at Leeds – we formed a great partnership!

"Since he became a manager he’s someone I’ve always wanted to work with. I feel this is the perfect opportunity.

"Playing with him for that short period of time I certainly believe he helped make me a better player; I learned a lot from him.

"Understanding his mentality and knowing how he is, I believe I’ll be able to learn a lot more out on the training ground and improve my game that little bit more.

Beckford will be hoping to rediscover his form from when he was at Leeds. After leaving Elland Road in 2010 on a free transfer his career has been on a downward spiral. Hopefully being reunited with his old teammate will bring the best out of the 29-year-old.

When asked about the club and the other strikers this is what Beckford had to say,

"As a club, Bolton have always struck me as a hard-working side with a lot of talented players. I hope can add a slightly different dimension.

"There are plenty of forwards here at the club already, but all competition for places is good competition.

"At the end of the day we’re all working together for the same cause and we want to try and get to the Premier League."

Many of you will remember Beckford from his Everton days. The Wanderers were 0-1 up away at Goodison Park, with only seconds to go and were on for a solid 3 points away from home. But Chung-Yong Lee was dispossessed by the corner flag and after being set up by Leighton Baines, Beckford curled it in from the inside of the penalty area, it was the last kick of the game.

This may prove that he’s not a bad player but what do you think? With the fee being relatively low is he a good piece of business? And how will he fit into Freedman’s plans next year with Marvin Sordell, Craig Davies and David Ngog all expecting game time?