David Moyes has been speaking about Everton's summer signings from the Bundesliga, Adam Aznou and Merlin Rohl
A report in Germany are now saying that Bayern Munich “did the right thing” in selling Adam Aznou to Everton but David Moyes insists the left-back is progressing after his summer switch.
Aznou joined the Blues on July 29 for an undisclosed fee understood to be in the region of £8million with Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl expressed regret that they were unable to retain his services.
However, the Morocco international has yet to play for Everton’s first team and having turned out for the Under-21s in a brace of Vertu Trophy defeats in Yorkshire, 2-1 at Doncaster Rovers and 5-1 at Bradford City, his most recent outing came in Paul Tait’s side’s 1-0 loss to fifth tier Rochdale in the National League Cup on Tuesday. On the same day, Sport Witness cite an article in Kicker stating that Bayern “did the right thing” in letting Aznou go this summer given they ultimately “received a good sum” for a player who, it appears, isn’t even ready to play for the Blues, never mind a giant club like them.
However, when last asked about Aznou in the pre-match press conference to preview Everton’s 1-0 win over Manchester United on Monday, Moyes compared him to another of his recruits who went on to be widely regarded as being the club’s best left-back since World Cup winner Ray Wilson and is now his first team coach. The Glaswegian gaffer said: “He’s coming on, Adam, but he’s 19. That’s not to say that 19 is too young to play, that’s for sure.
“But physically we think he’s got a bit to go. But when Leighton Baines came from Wigan, physically had loads to go, but he went on to become a terrific left-back and a really good player.
“We hope Adam can do the same. We mustn’t forget he’s 19 though, while it’s not incredibly young, it’s not old either for a young boy coming into the league and I think we just have to take a bit of time with Adam.”
Meanwhile, the 62-year-old was also asked about what his other signing from the Bundesliga this summer Merlin Rohl and what he might bring to the Everton side once he returns to fitness after four cameo appearances as a substitute so far. Moyes said: “Dynamism. He’s got speed and athleticism.
“He can play a number of positions for us as well. We can play him in several positions and he would still do the same job.
“He’s incredible athletically. That’s why we’re disappointed because we’re just missing him a wee bit at the moment because I would have hoped to have had some more time for him by now. “He picked up a rib injury in training then he had something else and we found out he had to get his hernia repaired.”