Joleon is the real deal!!!

THE opening of the transfer window is always guaranteed to spark a number of weird and wonderful tales created to go alongside the genuine deals.

For every one that has a grain of truth, there will be those that are the figments of someone's overactive imagination and - more often than not - will be found circulating at tremendous speed through cyberspace.

One such rumour that emerged recently of which Evertonians may or may not be aware, involved Real Madrid making Joleon Lescott a prime target.

When told the story, David Moyes simply smiled and shook his head in disbelief.

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Just to ease any anxieties, there is more chance of David Beckham coming to Goodison Park in the next few weeks than Lescott heading to the Santiago Bernabeu.

With each commanding performance, the 24-year-old has quickly become one of Everton's leading lights.

Faultless on and off the pitch since his summer move from Wolves, Lescott will bid to enhance his reputation once again on Sunday when Blackburn come to Goodison for an FA Cup third round clash that has assumed huge importance.

If Everton are going to maintain an interest in this season's competition beyond the weekend, both Lescott and Joseph Yobo will have key roles to fill in keeping an in-form Benni McCarthy - the South African has scored 12 times since arriving from FC Porto - shackled.

Yobo, however, is adamant that Lescott is up to the task.

Having proved himself a more than helpful room-mate on away trips, the Nigerian international has been similarly impressed with the way his sidekick has made the transition from Championship to Premiership.

Both men have occasionally had to play out of position during the campaign but when paired together in the centre they have helped Everton keep six of their nine clean sheets.

Now Yobo has his sights fixed on improving that record.

"We have had a lot of injuries and we don't really have a big squad," said Yobo. "Everyone here has got to be able to do a job. I was just doing my best when I was out there but now I am happy playing in my best position.

"But I have been very impressed with Joleon. Very, very impressed.