Junior relishing fight for Toffees place

Everton’s new signing Francisco Junior admits breaking into the first team will be a challenge but one he is ready to accept.

The 20-year-old midfielder joined the Merseyside club on a four-and-a-half year deal yesterday, subject to receiving international clearance.

The Portugal Under-21 international, who has played for Benfica and spent time at Manchester City, has already trained with his new team-mates after completing a medical and agreeing personal terms at the Blues’ Finch Farm training headquarters.

The deal, which falls outside of the UK transfer window, is permitted as Junior was a free agent.

The midfielder told evertonfc.com: “I feel very happy to have joined Everton. It’s a great challenge and now I just want to show my talent to the fans.

“My first mission is to try to get into the first team. Then it is to win over the fans and to win things with Everton. They’re a big team and they’re a team which is normally challenging for cups or for the European places. That is what I want to do.

“I like to play beautiful football, I like to touch the ball and I like to play both defensively and in attack. I can play both ways and with both feet.

“I’m coming here to show my football, in every training session I will give everything, and when I have an opportunity to play I will do so with lots of heart.”