CONFIRMED: Everton sign Cuco Martina on three-year deal

Everton have confirmed the signing of defender Cuco Martina on a three-year-contract.

Martina joins the Toffees on a free transfer and becomes the club’s seventh major signing of an already busy summer.

The 27-year-old Curacao international was a free agent after his contract at Southampton expired last month.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman knows all about Martina’s abilities having signed him while Saints manager in 2015.

Koeman was on the lookout for right-sided defensive cover with Seamus Coleman continuing his recovery from a broken leg.

The Toffees boss even wanted to sign Martina last summer but saw a £1.6m bid rebuffed by the Saints.

Everton have reportedly been in talks with Martina since the end of last season, with a deal finally wrapped up over the weekend.

Martina is part of the Everton squad travelling to the Netherlands for a pre-season and could make his first Toffees appearance against his former club FC Twente on Thursday.

Speaking about his move to Goodison Park, Martina said:

“Everton is a big club with big ambitions and I'm really looking forward to joining this group of players and the manager as we try to step forward next season.

“Obviously, I know the manager from my time at Southampton, so I know what he wants and he knows what I can do.

“Everton supporters are really passionate about their Club and everyone's excited about where the Club is aiming. You can see this is a club that wants to achieve something and the players we are bringing certainly show this.

“When you come to a new club, you need to get to know one another so the training camp in Holland will be great for me and for the other new players as well. We will play against Twente, one of my old clubs too, and I'm really looking forward to showing everyone what I can do.”

Manager Ronald Koeman said:

“Cuco Martina is an experienced player who can perform in different positions at the back, which is important.

“It's also important, with the number of games we will face in the coming campaign, that we have strength and competition in the squad.

“I brought the player to Southampton, so I know what he can do for us here and this is why I've now brought him to Everton. He is a player who will strengthen our squad and be able to play in different positions when that's needed, too.”