English international Andros Townsend has become Everton’s first summer signing and has joined on a 2-year-deal.
The winger left Crystal Palace as his contract did not get renewed therefore meaning it is a free transfer.
He has worked under Rafa Benitez in the past hence why the Spaniard wanted to make sure he got Townsend in.
It was while Benitez was at Newcastle, and it was only for a short period of time as Townsend played 10 games under him scoring three and assisting two before he left to join Crystal Palace in 2016.
In his five years at The Eagles, he played 185 games scoring 16 goals and assisting 28.
Townsend has spent his entire career playing for English clubs having played for Tottenham Hotspur as well as Newcastle United and Crystal Palace.
Whilst at Spurs he was loaned out nine times in five years.
The assumption is that Townsend has been signed to be a squad player and to add better options off the bench which was an issue for Everton last season.
Townsend himself did admit that but knows it is up to him to become more than that.
“They would admit I’m coming here to be a squad player; my job now is to prove I’m good enough to be an important part of this football club.
“Whenever I get the opportunity in pre-season, I will try to prove I’m good enough to be an important player here.
“That’s what drives me, it is what wakes me up in the morning and gets me out of bed.”
The 30-year-old is excited to link back up with Benitez who worked with him on many aspects of his game.
“I worked with Rafa at Newcastle and had great success with him, we tried to link up on a few occasions after that but it wasn’t to be.
“When he called me, with the backing of Everton, who are a massive football club and have big ambitions it was a no-brainer.
“At Newcastle, he knew I could score from outside the box, he was trying to work on me running in behind without the ball and getting on the end of a pass to score goals, as opposed to doing it all myself.
“Hopefully, he can rediscover that goalscoring form I had at Newcastle and I can really start adding some numbers in both goalscoring and assists.”
Last season in the Premier League Townsend has the best cross accuracy with 33% and that is certainly a key reason why he was signed due to Dominic Calvert Lewin’s aerial prowess which provides a threat every game.
The hope will be he can link up well with the young striker to help him improve his impressive development.
Townsend is very pleased to be joining Everton as he said: “I think everyone knows what Everton is. It’s a massive football club, it’s very ambitious, a club which has been trying to get back to where it belongs into Europe and beyond.
“I’ll be doing all I can to help the club do that.”Every Evertonian will be hoping that the winger ,who has 13 England caps to his name, can be a real coup of a signing.
