Everton complete £7.1m signing of Aston Villa midfielder Idrissa Gueye

Everton have completed the £7.1 million signing of Aston Villa midfielder Idrissa Gueye on a five-year deal.

The Toffees matched the release clause in the Senegal international’s contract following Villa’s relegation to the Championship last term, and despite late interest from Premier League rivals West Ham United, the 26-year-old has penned a contract at Goodison Park.

Despite his former club having a disastrous campaign in the top-flight, Gueye was rated only behind N’Golo Kante in terms of statistics for defensive midfielders, and has cost the Merseyside club less than a quarter of the fee that Chelsea paid Leicester City for the Frenchman last month.

Gueye becomes the second arrival under new manager Ronald Koeman this summer, following goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg’s arrival from Fulham, but the Dutch boss is keen to further strengthen his squad before the season starts a week on Saturday, and Swansea City captain Ashley Williams is also understood to be close to sealing a £10 million move to the Toffees.