Michael Keane has been one of Everton's most consistent performers this season - but the England centre-back who celebrated his first senior international goal in Montenegro last week admitted it has taken him more than a year to finally settle into life at Everton.
But the centre-back, who has started 30 of Everton's 35 matches this season despite suffering a fractured skull early in the campaign, says he finally feels like he belongs in blue.
"It has been an up and down journey but I'm starting to feel like I really belong here now," he said.
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"It's been a good season for me, I've had a lot of good games. The team struggled for two or three months, the whole team was inconsistent and I was part of that but in general I think I've been really good.
"I've been working hard, training has been good, and I feel a lot fitter than I did last year so I think that's helped me.
"I'm just feeling more confident than I have and hopefully I can show that from now until the end of the season."
A debilitating foot injury last season caused significant problems for Keane as he was attempting to assimilate himself into a new club and a new line up - and it was only in the second half of the season that Evertonians started to see the form which persuaded Ronald Koeman to pay Burnley £25m for his services.
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And during that period Keane admits his self confidence suffered.
"I've always had the belief in myself," he added "but when things aren't going well for you on the pitch you sort of lose a bit of confidence. But I've always had the belief that I'm good enough to play here.
"It's obviously a top-class club and you have to play well week in week out to prove that to the fans and to people at the club and I think I've managed to do that this season.
"But it's not something I want to rest on, I want to keep kicking on. I'm still youngish for a centre-half and I've got a lot of learning to do still."
