The Dutch winger becomes Everton’s third signing of the January window as Rafael Benitez looks to salvage his side’s poor start to the Premier League campaign.
Villa have been very active in the ongoing January transfer window thus far, sealing a loan deal to bring in Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho, and also managing to sign Everton full-back Lucas Digne on a permanent deal.
El-Ghazi has been quite successful in Claret and Blue, making 71 appearances, scoring 15 and contributing five assists as wel, in his three-year tenure at the club. The 26-year-old Dutchman has also represented his country twice during this time.
Everton have also had a busy window so far, signing two full-backs in Vitalii Mykolenko from Dynamo Kiev and Nathan Patterson from Rangers. Struggling in the league, veteran manager Rafa Benitez has looked to make some improvements in defence to find a solution to the club’s struggling first half of the season. The signings will also look to work around the departure of Digne.
El-Ghazi was excited to join the Merseyside club, as he conveyed in his interview once he completed his move:
Everton is a big club, I cannot wait to get started. I just want to focus on working hard, getting into the team, fighting for my place and, with the boys, to get Everton where it belongs — that is much higher up the table. We have a really good squad.”
he said in an interview published on Everton’s website.
Everton are just above the relegation spots at 15th place, with a paltry 19 points in 18 matches. They travel to Carrow Road to face bottom-placed Norwich City on Saturday, as Benitez looks to initiate a course-correction.
