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Marcel Brands has made a stunning claim when giving a presentation for the latest General Meeting at Everton.
The Director of Football confirmed that James Rodriguez was signed on a free transfer from Real Madrid, in what is a stunning claim.
The Liverpool Echo quote Brands as saying: ‘We signed six new players. Three on a permanent transfer – Allan, Doucoure and Ben Godfrey. One on a free – James Rodriguez. One on a training compensation – Nkounkou. And one loan without a loan fee – Robin Olsen.’
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What makes it stunning?
Well, to sign a World Cup Golden Boot winner, who had cost Los Blancos an eye-watering £71 million, for nothing is remarkable business.
This isn’t entirely fresh news – however, to hear it come from Brands’ mouth pretty much rubber-stamps it as a fact, rather than speculation.
The Colombia international’s former club, Banfield, released a statement shortly after his move to Goodison Park.
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In it, they stated that Rodriguez moved to Everton for ‘no cost’ – however, as aforementioned, it feels more believable now Brands has said it.
Now this news has been confirmed as true, we can marvel over just how good a signing it was from the Toffees.
There are few players of the 29-year-old’s pedigree in England, as we saw when he burst on to the scene in the Premier League.
Everton’s £90,000-a-week maestro scored three goals and assisted three more in his first five Premier League appearances.
His form may have faded slightly, although there’s no denying that he is certainly in the discussion for signing of the season.
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