Everton transfer news: Yannick Bolasie completes £25m move from Crystal Palace in 'no-brainer' switch
Bolasie has signed a five-year deal with Everton after leaving Crystal Palace
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Your support makes all the difference.Everton have completed the signing of winger Yannick Bolasie on a five-year deal from Crystal Palace, with the Congolese international moving to Goodison Park for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £25m.
27-year-old Bolasie leaves Palace after spending four years at Selhurst Park, helping the south London club to win promotion to the Premier league in 2012/13 via the play-off final and impressing in his three years in the top flight.
He agreed a new contract in September last year, but new Everton manager Ronald Koeman made it clear that he saw Bolasie as a prime transfer target and with the Toffees new spending power under majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, they launched a move that Palace couldn’t refuse.
“Yannick is a player who has been a long time on my radar because he’s the type of winger I like – fast, strong and he can play different positions in the forward line. He’s a really good signing for the club,” Koeman told the club’s official website.
“At 27, he’s a good age and he has experience in the Premier League. He will give strength to the team and I’m very pleased to have Yannick as part of what we are trying to build here at Everton.”
Bolasie represents Everton’s third signing of the summer following the completed deals of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and defender Ashley Williams, and he revealed his excitement at trying to prove himself among the Everton squad after claiming the switch was a “no-brainer”.
“I’m looking forward to putting on the Everton shirt,” Bolasie said. “This is a big club and I know all about it from having played against them over the years.
“For me, it was a no-brainer to come here. But now that I’ve come to Everton, the job is not done. I’ve got to work hard and feel my way in. I’m ready and up for the challenge.
“It’s not about the money for me. It’s about looking at the ambition of the Club and where they are trying to get to. I just like to play football.
“I just like to play football and it’s going to be really interesting to learn from someone like Ronald Koeman, who was obviously a top centre-back as a player and he played with some of the best players in the world.
“The club has made good signings, players like Ashley Williams who I know well - and I know that I’ve joined a club that not only has lots of quality players but one that produces lots of quality players, like Ross Barkley, as well.
“This season is going to be very interesting and I’m looking forward to being part of it here at Everton.”
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