Everton acquired Steven Naismith for nothing, but have seen him blossom into a key part of their Premier League plans.
Rangers’ financial struggles hit them hard, with a number of international performers heading through the exits.
They were able to walk away from contracts, with FIFA granting permission for moves to be made elsewhere.
Everton were among those to benefit from the Ibrox meltdown, with Steven Naismith heading south as a free agent.
There appeared to be little risk involved in the deal, with the attacking midfielder having graced the Champions League and been a regular for Scotland.
It did not take long for Naismith to prove his worth, but he has become something of an unsung hero at Goodison Park.
| Goals | Goal Assist | Total Att Assist | Ontarget Scoring Att | Total Pass | Accurate Pass | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romelu Lukaku | 6 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 436 | 331 | 16 | 1,296 |
| Steven Naismith | 5 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 477 | 359 | 13 | 1,010 |
| Kevin Mirallas | 4 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 257 | 223 | 11 | 699 |
| Samuel Eto’o | 3 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 320 | 258 | 11 | 581 |
| Ross Barkley | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 416 | 363 | 9 | 651 |
| Aiden McGeady | 1 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 239 | 202 | 11 | 643 |
| Steven Pienaar | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 150 | 116 | 8 | 252 |
The Opta statistics above show how important the 28-year-old is to the Toffees cause.
Only Romelu Lukaku has scored more goals for Roberto Martinez’s men this season, but it is in the playmaking department where the Scot really shines.
He has been a model of consistency throughout the campaign and has managed more attempted assists and made more passes than those around him as a result.
Everton are still looking for a spark to truly ignite their campaign, but Naismith could be the man to provide it if he can maintain his form and help inspire others to bigger and better things.
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