Baines completes Everton switch

12 April 2012

Leighton Baines returned to Everton after being rejected as a schoolboy by the club 10 years ago, with boss David Moyes describing him as a player "for now and for the future".

The 22-year-old England Under-21 defender has signed a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee after completing a medical and agreeing personal terms from Wigan on Monday.

Moyes said: "We are pleased to have him. It is a signing for now and it is also a signing for the future. Leighton is someone that we have been after for a long time and he is someone who will give good competition to our squad."

He added: "We see him as a left-back. We already have Nuno Valente to play there and Joleon Lescott can cover in that position, but we really want him (Lescott) to be a central defender.

"We needed to add to our squad after we sold Gary Naysmith to Sheffield United. Leighton is a young player and he fits in with our policy of trying to buy good British players if we can. And he is a big Evertonian. We have been impressed by him and the reports that we have had about him over the past 12 months have been good.

"He really came to prominence last season and has done well in the Premier League and at the European Under-21 Championships, so that was a big factor."

However, Baines is unlikely to make his debut on Saturday at home to his former club Wigan due to a hamstring injury.

Baines turned down a move to Sunderland and opting for Everton ahead of Newcastle, who are believed to have offered him higher wages.

Baines becomes Everton's third signing of the summer, following Phil Jagielka and the season-long loan signing of Steven Pienaar from Borussia Dortmund.

Baines told evertonTV: "I am very happy now it is all done and I am looking forward to getting on with it all here. People knew this was the place I wanted to come and I am glad now that it is all done. I am a local lad and all my family support Everton so it's good to be here at last."

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