Everton make Johnny Heitinga their best-paid player. Is he worth it?

Ollie Irish

2nd, September 2009

12 Comments

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Back in the day, when Pro Evolution Soccer was good, I always, ALWAYS used to buy Johnny Heitinga for my Master League team. He was cheap, versatile and developed faster than Caster Semenya.

Moyes got his man on transfer deadline day, in a £6m deal with Atletico Madrid, where Heitinga spent just one season.

In the real world, he’s versatile – he can play at centre-back, right-back or as a defensive midfielder – but not cheap. Indeed, Everton have just made him their highest-earning player, with a contract reportedly worth more than £55,000 a week.

The acquisition of Heitinga is a real boost for Everton, with the club looking to recover quickly from the Lescott saga. The Dutchman is a top-quality player and very well-suited to the demands of the Premier League. I’m not convinced he deserves to be on more cash than the likes of Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill (I expect their agents will be on the phone to Bill Kenwright soon), but Everton really needed this signing.

“We are really pleased to him with us,” said Moyes. “He’s an experienced and versatile player, who can hopefully fill a number of positions in the team. I’m sure he will be an exciting signing for us.”

Hear hear.

Posted in Everton, Transfers & Rumours

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12 Comments

  1. Pat van den Hauuwe says:

    Excellent signing, Evverton will undoubtedly prosper on the field. Jagielka and Johnny will be a wonderful pairing. Lescott was good, but has flaws with his right side, Johnny is far more complete a player and this is a very very good outcome for Everton, no disrespect to Joleon, he is also class, but I do truly take Johnny to be a class above again.
    Good luck lads
    Psycho.

  2. vinny says:

    if we give more money to the likes of cahill and arteta more money the are more likley to stay wiyh us anyway

  3. Chringle says:

    He’s one of these people that are a better name than they are a player.
    If that made sense to anyone, please contact me and explain it.

  4. Philando Torres says:

    I’m amazed that a centre half has gone for less than 20-odd million squids. Barca have paid 22 mil for some unknown, and City have been so ridiculously generous in their valuation of Lescott that I’m now convinced that their transfers are dealt with by a spoilt little Californian rich kid. Paris Hilton perhaps.
    Amazing really that for the price of Lescott you could get Skrtel, Agger, Hyypia, Jagielka and Hietinga. The footballing world’s gone mad.

  5. Kipp says:

    Chringle, your point would be better made about Bosingwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

  6. Fitzy says:

    Vinny, Cahill and Arteta are already 2 of the highest paid players at the club

  7. Joe says:

    Know what you’re talking about, Chringle. Sounds almost Brazillian, dunnit?
    He was quality back here at Ajax but unfortunately Atletico is the Spanish Newcastle (albeit less rubbish), in the sense that every defender they sign becomes shit the second he puts on the shirt, and “Sjonny” was apparently no exception.
    Also, in Holland he is known for being less than gifted in the cerebral department. Some Skinner & Baddiel-esque wags even made a clip of him listening to his ipod, which plays his name over and over lest he forget (also features Robben being given a bad English language course, Van der Vaart listening to German folk and Cocu enjoying a stadium tour) http://www.burorenkema.nl/2006/06/ipodje_voetballen.php

  8. Ollie says:

    @ Joe: to be fair, he does look thicker than pig shit.

  9. Peaz says:

    Heitinga was a less than acceptable defender at Atletico. In fact he was brought in to fill the hole at center back but he could not play center back and was eventually moved to right back. That is the whole reason Atleti had to go out and purchase old man Juanito this summer, to fill the hole the Johnny could not.

  10. MattyDub says:

    Looks like a cross between Craig Bellamy & Arjen Robben!! Shit lookalike fusion??

  11. molly says:

    he is a gud player but they sum players in everton whom i think sudn’t be overloked Arteta,and Tim Cahill.

  12. […] terrific, progressive player. His time will come. 7. Johnny Heitinga (Atletico Madrid to Everton) The powerful Dutchman didn’t come cheap but I think he’s the ideal player to fill Joleon Lescott’s boots. 6. Tuncay […]

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