Jose hails ‘very good’ McCarthy

Jose Mourinho has picked out James McCarthy as a “very good” player of big potential and a fine signing for Everton, but feels Tottenham and Arsenal have performed best in the transfer market.

The Irish midfielder is expected to make his debut for the Goodison Park club today against Chelsea, who repeatedly scouted him over the last two years. When asked how Everton would cope without Marouane Fellaini, who was sold to Manchester United on deadline day, Mourinho made a point of praising the Belgian’s replacements.

“It’s a good question for Roberto [Martinez],” Mourinho said. “They have a good squad, still. They did very well in the last days of the market, got two very good players for midfield, different profile, different ages, different futures but Barry is a very good, experienced player, McCarthy’s a very good young player with big projection, so I think they did very well and, when you lose a player, very good of course, but you get two, I don’t think it’s a problem for them.”