The Athletic’s Crystal Palace reporter Matt Woosnam believes that Andros Towsend’s move to Everton was very much to do with reuniting with manager Rafa Benitez.
The two worked together in the 2015/2016 season at Newcastle United, with Townsend scoring three goals and providing two assists in ten games under the Spaniard.
After spending five years at Selhurst Park, Townsend made the move to Merseyside last week on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.
Upon the move, Woosnam told This is Futbol: “It’s very much to do with Rafa Benitez. I interviewed Andros last summer and the sort of theme of the interview was the managers who sort of shaped his career, and one of the main ones he spoke glowingly about was Rafa Benitez.”
The new Everton manager has opted to bring in players to Goodison Park with proven Premier League experience. This is because the club completed the signings of Townsend, Demarai Gray and Asmir Begovic last week, all of whom have previously played in the Premier League.
The club have only spent a combined fee of £1.6million on the trio, with both Townsend and Begovic arriving on Merseyside on free transfers, but after spending £87million on incomings last summer, it shows that Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is willing to back his managers financially.