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Goal.com Spain: Everton Target Ever Banega Too 'Weird' To Adapt To English Game

The player is just too eccentric a choice to succeed at Goodison Park, according to the Spanish edition of Goal.com.

Aug 20, 2009 4:58:57 PM

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Ever Banega

On Friday Everton will learn if their work permit application for Argentinian midfielder Ever Banega, a player whom they are looking to sign on a season-long loan deal from Spanish outfit Valencia, with a view to making the move permanent, is successful.

The 21-year-old, though, is a strange choice for the Toffees, according to Goal.com Spain's Juan Lirman, who thinks the youngster will struggle to adapt to life in England.

"Banega is a very, well... strange player. He has a very difficult personality because of his troubled life as a youngster," Lirman asserts.

"He's never really fitted in here in Spain since he came from Boca Juniors. He played some huge games with the Argentinian club but I'm sure his agents made the wrong choice in persuading him to leave Argentina so soon. It was a matter of money, sure, but since his transfer from Boca Juniors Banega has never been the same.

"Here in Valencia, he never really counted for the coaches. He was a player that the directors recommended, not the coaches. And then, on loan at Atletico de Madrid, he also had some troubles with the coach Javier Aguirre and never had a real chance to impress."

Lirman is similarly baffled as to why the player is considering a move to Merseyside, as he expects him to struggle with the English way of life and the style of football.

"I don't understand what Banega expects with this probable transfer to Everton. I don't see him handling the English way of life. If I was the Everton directors, I wouldn't be taking such a risk with this signing."

Not a ringing endorsement of the player's potential, however, Toffees manager David Moyes has a habit of bringing the best out of players, with the revival of Jo last season springing to mind, and Everton fans will hope the Scotsman can do a similar job in polishing this Argentinian into another gem.

Zack Wilson, Goal.com

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