Arteta's arrival boosts Everton
Monday, January 31, 2005
Article summary
Everton FC have signed Spanish midfield player Mikel Arteta on loan from Real Sociedad de Fútbol.
Article body
View to permanent transfer
Arteta was in Liverpool at the weekend to undergo a medical and arrives with a view to a permanent transfer costing around €4m in the summer. The 22-year-old has played in British football before, spending two seasons with Rangers FC from 2002 until last summer, when he returned to his home city of San Sebastian to join Real.
Financial problems
However, Arteta has struggled to establish himself at Real and the Basque club's financial problems mean they were prepared to let him go just six months into a four-year contract. As a teenager, Arteta was nurtured in FC Barcelona's youth teams but spent 18 months on loan to Paris Saint-Germain FC in France prior to moving to Rangers.
Replacement for Gravesen
Everton, fourth in the English Premiership and chasing a European place for next season, were looking for a creative midfield player to replace Danish international Thomas Gravesen, who left for Real Madrid CF earlier in the month.
