Eight More Players Confirmed For Everton v AS Roma Legends Fixture

Eight more names have been announced for the eagerly-anticipated Everton v AS Roma Legends match at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday 9 August, including a record Everton signing and the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. Andy Johnson, James Vaughan, Mark Pembridge and Steven Naismith have been added to Peter Reid's squad for the sell-out pre-season showpiece, joining James McFadden, Yakubu, Gareth Barry and goalkeeper Jan Mucha who were announced last week. Meanwhile, AS Roma have added Chilean midfield star of the noughties David Pizarro, Argentine winger Diego Perotti, Brazilian midfielder Francisco Lima and back-to-back Coppa Italia winner Max Tonetto to their squad. Johnson was Everton's record signing when he arrived from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2006, and the speedy striker hit the ground running. He scored on his debut against Watford, hit two in a fondly-remembered 3-0 derby day rout of Liverpool and ended his debut campaign as Club top scorer. Vaughan is still the Premier League's youngest-ever goalscorer, sparking memorable scenes when he stepped off the bench in 2005 to score at the Gwladys Street End against Crystal Palace, aged just 16 years 270 days young. He also netted a nerveless penalty in the famous FA Cup semi-final penalty shootout success over Manchester United in 2009. Wales international Pembridge made more than 100 appearances for the Blues in the early noughties and won 56 caps for his country in a distinguished career, while Naismith plundered 25 goals in his 123 Everton appearances – including a perfect hat-trick of right-foot, left-foot, header against Chelsea in 2015. Latest additions to the Roma squad, joining the already announced Aldair, Simone Perotta, Marco Delvecchio and Damiano Tommasi, is Pizzaro, affectionately known as 'Pek', who won one Serie A title and three Coppa Italias during his time in Serie A. He will be accompanied by Perotti, who spent four seasons at Roma between 2016 and 2020 and earned five Argentina caps, Italian international Tonetto, and Lima who spent three seasons in the Italian capital between 2001 and 2004. The game on Saturday 9 August will be the last test event Hill Dickinson Stadium as David Moyes' Blues will take on their Serie A counterparts Roma at 3pm in their final Premier League warm-up fixture. Then, at 5.15pm it's the Legends' turn to dust off their boots and make their mark on the 52,769-capacity stadium. More names from both sides will be announced in the lead-up to what promises to be a memorable double-header. For details on how to purchase an evertontv match pass to watch a live stream of the AS Roma double-header – and the Blues’ pre-season friendly at Blackburn Rovers this Saturday – click here.