Everton boss Moyes set to land Dutch defender
Published 00:13 29/08/09 By By David Anderson and Alan Nixon
David Moyes has continued splashing Joleon Lescott’s £24million fee by landing Dutch international Johnny Heitinga from Atletico Madrid in a £5.7million swoop.
Heitinga’s arrival will take Moyes’ spending this week to £21million following the signings of Dinayar Bilyaletdinov and Sylvain Distin.
Everton have agreed the fee with Atletico and are speaking to the defender to thrash out personal terms.
Heitinga, 25, moved to Spain last year in a £7million switch from Ajax and he is part of a new generation of Dutch stars.
He can play right-back or centre-half and Moyes feels he will help beef up his defence following Lescott’s departure.
Everton are ready to drop their bid for Argentinian winger Ever Banega - after he turned out for Valencia in the Europa League.
The gifted young star was used as a sub as the Spaniards beat Norwegian side Stabaek and that may be the last straw for boss David Moyes and chairman Bill Kenwright.
The Goodison club had got a work permit for Banega a fortnight ago but were stunned when Valencia did a U-turn on the deal and kept him because of an injury crisis.
Now Moyes is set to pull the plug, while Kenwright works on other targets - with Everton also concerned by some lurid material about Banega on an internet website.
The Toffees are now going to ask Tottenham about David Bentley again after being quoted £15 million for the former Blackburn Rovers winger last week.
Bentley could be on his way to Merseyside if the deal is cheaper or even a loan with a view to a full-time switch. His off-the-field troubles have not put off Moyes or Kenwright.
Everton have also missed out on Swedish midfielder Rasmus Elm, who decided to join Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar despite flying over for talks with Moyes last month.
