On this day in Premier League history: 9 October
Looking back at Barclays Premier League history, we recall Everton signing the Ivorian striker
9 October 1998 -
Everton snap up striker Bakayoko
Everton made striker Ibrahima Bakayoko the Ivory Coast's first Barclays Premier League player when they signed him from Montpellier.
Bakayoko had a record of scoring nearly one goal every three matches during his two years with the French club, and Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure have been a host of successful Ivorian BPL stars since the striker's arrival on Merseyside.
The striker failed to make a major impact at Goodison Park and at the end of the season returned to France to join Marseille.
Bakayoko started 17 Barclays Premier League matches for the Toffees and appeared as a substitute on six occasions.
The highlight of his Everton career was undoubtedly when he scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers in the middle of March.
It was Bakayoko's first start since early February and he had not scored in the league since the end of December.
But, after the Toffees had fallen behind after only 94 seconds at Ewood Park, he equalised with a close-range header at a 15th minute corner by Don Hutchison, which was flicked on by David Weir.
Bakayoko was denied a second by Rovers goalkeeper John Filan but he was not to be denied in the 65th minute when he fired home following a through ball from Hutchison, although he later missed the chance of a hat-trick.
They were the last goals the striker scored for Everton before leaving in the close season.
He spent four years with Marseille before moving on to another French club Istres and then to sides in Italy and Greece.