Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori wanted to re-sign for River Plate.
Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori has told TyC Sports in his native Argentina that he asked his agent to get him a return to former club River Plate.
The Toffees, then managed by Roberto Martinez, swooped to sign Funes Mori from River Plate in the summer of 2015, having impressed in his native Argentina.
The centre back was a regular in his first two seasons with the club, playing more than half of Everton’s Premier League games in each campaign – but he hasn’t featured at all this season.
A major knee injury suffered in March 2017 has kept Funes Mori out for the season so far, and he has been attempting to step up his comeback with games for the club’s Under-23’s in recent weeks.
Everton fans may hope to see the 27-year-old in Premier League action before the end of the season, but the defender himself actually wanted to leave Goodison Park in January.
Speaking to TyC Sports back in Argentina, Funes Mori revealed that he wanted to return to River Plate in order to play games and get himself fit for the World Cup, but his agent could’t seal a ‘difficult’ deal.
Funes Mori added that the possibility of a return to River is over, and ‘everything is fine’ at Everton, but his comments may raise questions about his long-term future at Goodison Park.
“I wanted to go back to River to catch pace and get to the World Cup well, so I told my manager, but it was difficult, so it’s over and everything is fine,” said Funes Mori.
Funes Mori spent seven years with River and may have fancied a return to familiar surroundings to kickstart his career again, but will now have to fight and scrap for a place in Sam Allardyce’s Everton side in order to book his place at the World Cup.
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