Ashley Young Joins Everton on Free Transfer
Everton have made their first signing of the summer, with veteran Ashley Young set to join the Toffees on a free transfer. The 38-year-old has been at Aston Villa for the last two seasons and featured regularly, making 57 appearances across all competitions in his second spell with the club.
Young has enjoyed a brilliant career, rising to prominence at Watford before first moving to Villa in 2007. He then went on to play for Manchester United and Inter Milan, where he won the Premier League and Serie A respectively. His 422 Premier League appearances puts him 32nd on the all-time list and he will hope to rack up some more games over the next year, at least, with Everton.
Sky Sports report that Young had other offers from Europe and the Championship, but opted for the Toffees. The veteran is expected to act as cover at full-back, being able to fill in on the right or left of defence after moving back into the back four from midfield later in his career.
Everton’s Summer So Far
Everton have had a quiet summer so far in the transfer market, working on a limited budget as Sean Dyche looks to build a squad which could improve on the relegation battle they endured last season. There have been no arrivals as yet, so Young is likely to become the first signing of the summer, although there have been a number of departures already.
The likes of Tom Davies, Yerrt Mina, Asmir Begovic and Andros Townsend have all left on free transfers. Everton have also allowed Morgan Schneiderlin and Theo Walcott to leave on loan deals. With Young now joining the club, Dyche will be hoping he can add some experience to his side and help them push up the Premier League table this season.
Young’s Experience
Young has plenty of experience in the Premier League and will be hoping to bring that to Everton this season. He has been a regular starter for Aston Villa over the last two seasons and will be looking to continue that form at Goodison Park. He has also won both the Premier League and Serie A during his career, so he will be hoping to bring some of that winning mentality to his new club.
Young is expected to sign a one-year deal at Goodison Park, with a medical due to take place on Tuesday before completing the move. He will be hoping to make an impact at Everton this season and help them push up the table. With his experience and quality, he could be a valuable asset for the Toffees this season.