Cenk Tosun: Everton £27m striker 'best in Europe' at his price - Sam Allardyce

Everton manager Sam Allardyce says the club's new £27m signing Cenk Tosun is "the best in Europe" at that price.

The club announced the deal during half time of their FA Cup third round tie against city rivals Liverpool, after the Turkey international agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Tosun, 26, had been in London awaiting permission to complete his move.

"This lad looks like he is strong mentally and has a good pedigree," said Allardyce.

The deal had been delayed as Tosun's previous club Besiktas held out for more than the £25m Everton thought would be enough to seal the transfer.

Tosun has helped the Turkish side reach the last 16 of the Champions League, where they will meet Bayern Munich.

He scored 20 league goals last season as Besiktas retained their Super Lig crown, and has scored eight league goals and four in the Champions League so far this season.

Allardyce said his first signing since becoming Everton manager in November is "an all rounder with good movement".

"He is two-footed, perhaps not the biggest but he's very efficient in the air and in the box he gets good space to get his head on the ball," said the former England manager.

"We looked at the qualities of the player, his talent and goalscoring, and his resilience, too. I do not think you can look any more than we have done."

Tosun goals and appearances for Besiktas and Turkey

Tosun, who has been capped 25 times for his country, said he is eager to be involved in Everton's next Premier League game, against Tottenham on Saturday 13 January.

"I want to play as soon as possible," he said.

"The Tottenham game will be the first game I am available for and I'm very excited about it already.

"Everton has really, really big names, big players. I'm excited to play with them and to learn from them as well, players like Wayne Rooney and the very good creative players we have here, too.

"I bring my skills here and everybody is going to see what kind of player I am."

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Comment posted by CaptainSlow81, at 21:40 5 Jan 2018
Can't believe I just thought 'oh £27 million sounds a bit cheap for a striker'.... Then I snapped out of it luckily to return rapidly back to the real world
Comment posted by acetaline, at 21:21 5 Jan 2018
I mean, Allardyce should think he's the best striker available for £27m, otherwise he'd be signing the other guy. What a non-statement.
Comment posted by A_Hawke, at 21:04 5 Jan 2018
Never heard of him but must be better than what they've currently got
Comment posted by dbizal, at 21:15 5 Jan 2018
How Rooney wasn't sent off and Holgate not getting a yellow after pushing a player into the adboards then grabbing the Ref around the neck just shows the quality of the Refs.
Comment posted by Johnvaughan1965, at 21:19 5 Jan 2018
I bet it was actually 50 million and Sam put 23 mill in his sky rocket! lol
Comment posted by recruitmentch, at 01:15 6 Jan 2018
A long time work colleague is a lifelong Besiktas fan. As a result, I've seen a fair bit of their games over the past couple of seasons. I'm not saying that Cenk will score a lot in the premier league. But such is his hardworking attitude, he will run himself into the ground for the team to try and score. Tremendous work ethic and attitude.
Comment posted by Mark, at 23:40 5 Jan 2018
there's a lot of crap talked on these HYS feeds
Comment posted by santino1, at 21:07 5 Jan 2018
That is a coup! Scored a lot of goals in the Champions League. May be Turkish but made in Germany like Ozil. 27 mill is nothing these days especially in January
Comment posted by tommymossop, at 10:18 6 Jan 2018
Thought Everton played well last night. Lookman was good when he came on. I think they will be better without Rooney and hope their new striker hits the ground running and proves any doubters wrong. I'm not an Everton supporter but wish them well.
Comment posted by darrenowen76, at 21:21 5 Jan 2018
Sams response actually sounds like.."not sure about it..but with the percentage i am getting on this deal its got to be worth a punt.."
Comment posted by This name is awaiting moderation, at 22:21 5 Jan 2018
Liverpool need penalties like players need oxygen.

They're the only club who have a diving coach!
Comment posted by Road2Damascus, at 21:59 5 Jan 2018
I am a Besiktas fan, and I have to admit it was a mistake to sell him as we will face Bayern in February. Cenk was born and bred in Germany, he has German football mentality. He is a fighter and killer on the pitch! Everton has very good players that would feed him with passes and crosses.
Comment posted by D1679556226443, at 21:06 5 Jan 2018
Well it's hard to disagree with Sam.
I can't think of any other £27million players so by default he's spot on!
Comment posted by User0042781216, at 21:41 5 Jan 2018
Who cares sick of all the hype its only a player another foreign player on lotto winning monthly pay while 99% everton fans are working class hard working people but these players got no interest in fans a cost season ticket programme pint and pint only interested who pays wages sad state of uk and europe in general rich vs poor but fans never win as usual
Comment posted by FergusK, at 22:04 5 Jan 2018
He seems like a great signing, and after tonight they clearly need him. I don't think it's rascist saying that because he's from Turkey he must be good at making kebabs -It's just stupid and not funny. It wouldn't be funny if he was French and someone said he must like frogs legs, or he's English so he must like Roast Beef. Good luck to him anyway. Hope he'll settle in and the gags will improve
Comment posted by Andy - in Holborn, at 21:45 5 Jan 2018
Cenk Tosun 'best in Europe' at his price £27m?

1.) Gabriel Jesus £27m - Maybe not
2.) Marko Arnautovic £27m - Definitely
3.) Christian Benteke £27m - Definitely
Comment posted by SamB, at 21:16 5 Jan 2018
Who knows, maybe now they'll manage a shot on target...
Comment posted by User0126244157, at 08:18 6 Jan 2018
If he's leaving a team in the knockout stages of the Champions league for a mid table English team then it's obviously not for the football!
Comment posted by sabre84, at 23:51 5 Jan 2018
@99 youd never heard of jay jay okocha? Or nicolas anelka? What about frances world cup winning striker Youri Djorkaeff? Not even real madrids champions league winning captain fernando hierro? Obviously never watched much football
Comment posted by invinoveritas, at 22:06 5 Jan 2018
27 mil good price for proven goalscorer. 75 mil world record fee for defender Van Dijk and not even best defender in North