Louis Saha will be key man for Everton next season, says David Moyes

David Moyes took one gamble on Louis Saha by signing him.

Now he reveals that he has taken another – by rejecting a multi-million-pound bid for the striker he now believes is healing mentally as well as physically.

Saha arrived at Goodison from Manchester United a year ago as an injury-hit, emotional wreck – carrying the baggage that suggested his spirit was as broken as his body.

However, Everton manager Moyes believes he is in the process of not just re-inventing, but rebranding himself. Moyes said: “We knew we were taking a gamble with Louis in terms of his injuries.

“The thing was, we knew he was a top player, although I think it is also fair to say that he wasn’t just injured physically but emotionally too because of all the problems he had.

“There are some players who can find it much harder to deal with their injuries – they worry about it more than others – and I think even Louis saw himself in that category.

“But I see a new determination in him now. I see a new Louis Saha. I think he is out to prove to many people that he is not injury-prone.

“He is showing a determination to try to shake off that tag.”

For a manager who has such a limited transfer market budget as Moyes, there could have been a temptation to cash in on the Frenchman he signed for a song and take the money and run.

It is understood a bid of about £10million was tabled but Moyes, having gone with his instincts on Saha 12 months ago, is sticking by theme now, well aware that fully fit and functioning he would be worth £20m in today’s market.

He added: “Louis Saha is one of the most talented players I’ve ever worked with or been around. Yes, we took a risk with him considering all the injuries he’s had, but he’s played almost 30 games for us.

“What impresses me now is that he’s not missed a day of pre-season, he’s not missed a session, he’s not missed a minute of anything that we’ve done.

“If I had predicted that would happen to any of my staff, some of them might have said that we would have to be more careful with him.

“But he has come through everything having, I think, realised he’s come to an age in his career when he knows he must start to do it.

“He’s got a year of his contract left here at Everton and I think sometimes when players are in that situation they are at their most dangerous because they have something to prove.”

The fastest FA Cup Final scorer ever, against Chelsea in May, arrived at Old Trafford for £12.8m in January 2004, but played just 124 times in four and a half seasons.

However, he still contributed 41 goals and, having scored eight for Everton, the 30-year-old could yet prove to be priceless. Moyes will offer Saha a new deal if he sees further evidence of his re-invention.

He added: “A fully fit Louis Saha in today’s market would be worth an awful lot of money.

“We’ve had a big offer for him this summer, which is an indication of exactly how others think of his talent – we’ve chosen to reject it.

“I won’t reveal who or where it came from, but it was an impressive offer, big money.

“Louis has nothing to prove in terms of his ability, but what he does have to prove over the next year is his fitness.

“We doubted him ourselves, but the gamble is paying off.”