A former team-mate of Andros Townsend’s believes Everton have signed a rare breed of player.
The Blues confirmed the signing of Townsend on a free transfer from Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.
The winger has put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal at Goodison Park, bringing an end to his five-season stint with the Eagles in the Premier League.
Townsend joined Crystal Palace in 2016 after a brief stint with Newcastle United following his permanent exit from Tottenham Hotspur.
And it was at Spurs where Alan Hutton played alongside Townsend, and he the Scot has explained why his former team-mate is different to most footballers.
“I’ve known Andros a long time,” he told Football Insider. “He’s meticulous in everything that he does to look after himself. He always has been that way since he was a kid.
“Even then, he could have only been about 18. He was like a 36-year-old in an 18-year-old’s body.
“Andros wouldn’t stay up past 10 o’clock, he’d have to get a certain amount of hours of sleep. He would watch what he ate, he doesn’t drink alcohol, the whole works.
“Everything is really geared towards his football career. You don’t get many people like that that are that focused and driven. I really do think that’s a good move.”
Speaking on his move to Everton, Townsend said: “I think everyone knows what Everton is. It’s a massive football club, it’s very ambitious, a club which has been trying to get back to where it belongs into Europe and beyond.
“I’ll be doing all I can to help the club do that. Everton is a massive football club and has big ambitions next season. As the old cliché goes, it was a no-brainer.
“Rafa is very experienced. He does a lot of work on the tactical side on the training pitch, he leaves no stone unturned.
"But more importantly, he’s a great man, a great man-manager, and he’s always talking to you. I’m sure he will be very successful here.”
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