While it was all big-name arrivals and spending money at Everton this summer, arguably one of their best deals was the capture of Niels Nkounkou.
The youngster, a free transfer from Marseille, was the Blues first signing this summer and one that few predicted would make much of an impact.
A Marcel Brands signing if there ever was one, it was clear that Everton were looking to the future when the left-back arrived at Goodison Park.
However, Leighton Baines’ surprise retirement in the summer meant an immediate promotion for Nkounkou, who now finds himself playing back-up to Lucas Digne in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
That’s a role he’s played superbly so far, earning rave reviews from fans and pundits alike in the handful of games he’s gotten so far.
His start to life in England has certainly not gone unnoticed back in France, with Foot Mercato covering the player’s performances thus far.
They say that Nkounkou has ‘already overcome many pitfalls’ with Everton and his ‘promising debut’ has left Marseille to ‘bite their fingers’.
The website explains that his decision not to sign with the French club ‘surprised everyone’ while choosing Everton as his next destination was ‘circumspect’.
Initially, the plan had been for a slow integration, but Ancelotti and co decided to throw him in the deep end and gauge how he was doing in training and pre-season friendlies before making a decision.
Nkounkou ‘overcome these first pitfalls with ease’ and his first appearances gave fans a ‘glimpse of beautiful prospects’ to come.
This only increased with his impressive displays in the Carabao Cup, where the defender ‘captivated observers’ with his qualities and left Everton fans rubbing their hands, particularly as they hadn’t expected so much from him.
They have already given a ‘concert of praise’ to the left-back, appreciating his ‘disconcerting audacity’ among other things.
An impressive display against West Ham only added to the excitement, with it explained that he ‘muzzled’ Andriy Yarmolenko in that game and put in another ‘encouraging’ display.
Even a daunting Premier League debut at Newcastle United, a game which Everton lost, saw Nkounkou coming out with positive reviews.
That gave the youngster a taste of top-flight football and Foot Mercato say the ‘ultimate goal’ for him is to ‘play well in one of the best championships in the world’, something he already managed against the Magpies.
At the moment the only way appears to be up for Everton’s summer signing, with the website stating that the ‘love story’ between him and the club ‘still has a bright future ahead of it’; a statement Evertonians are sure to agree with.
