Everton have announced the signing of Germany youth international Merlin Röhl. The former SC Freiburg player will join the Blues on a loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season, for a reported transfer fee of about £22m (€25m).
The 23-year-old Potsdam, Berlin-born central midfielder is the ninth Blues signing of the summer transfer window.
Röhl will be wearing the **#**34 shirt for the Toffees, having worn the same number at Freiburg over the last three years.
The **#**34 shirt at Everton is not one that has been worn very often - Anwar El Ghazi (21/22), Nathan Broadhead (20/21 - 21/22), Beni Baningime (18/19 - 19/20), Oumar Niasse (17/18), Shane Duffy (09/10 - 12/13), John Irving (07/08 - 08/09), Matt McKay (99/00), Francis Jeffers (97/98 - 98/99), Paul Holmes (95/96).