Tuesday 1 September 2015 16:50, UK
Following confirmation that River Plate's Ramiro Funes Mori has joined Everton, we get the lowdown on the Argentine defender from those who know…
The 24-year-old was in the stands at Goodison Park to watch Everton's clash with Manchester City last weekend and has subsequently agreed a transfer to the Premier League club.
With the help of Buenos Aires-based correspondent Andres Garavaglia, we look at what Everton will be getting for their money…
Difficult beginnings
After River were sensationally relegated to the second tier, it wasn't the easiest of starts to Funes Mori's senior career and things got worse when twin brother Rogelio found himself in the firing line.
"His brother started playing first at River, and he did it in the worse moment of River's history, when the team fell down to the second division for the first time ever in 2011," Garavaglia told Sky Sports.
"Rogelio was very young but was used as the main striker of the team. As a result of his inexperience, he missed many chances. The supporters soon pushed the club into getting rid of him.
"Meanwhile, Ramiro quietly started to earn the trust of the coach Matias Almeyda, helping River get back up. He restored the respect for his surname with the River supporters."
River Plate hero
Funes Mori played his part in getting River back where they belonged. "He was one of the most important players in making sure River made an immediate return to the top," said Garavaglia.
"He has so much confidence in himself that he even relegated Colombia international defender Eder Alvarez Balanta to the bench.
"Ramiro then became an idol of River Plate in May 2014 when he scored a fantastic goal in the derby against Boca Juniors to give River a 2-1 win, their first in 10 years at La Bombonera.
"The goal was in the last minute of the match and was an excellent header. A few months later, River reclaimed the domestic title after a five-year wait.
"Ramiro never lost his place in the team. In 2014, he was part of the team that won the Copa Sudamericana and the Recopa Sudamericana, titles that River had never won.
"And in 2015, of course, he won the Copa Libertadores, scoring the third goal in the final with a header, and helping River win this title again after 19 years."
What are his strengths?
Aside from this knack of scoring crucial goals, Funes Mori is a left-footed defender with good aerial ability in both boxes.
While his speed and agility are issues, it's his character that leads most to believe that Funes Mori can be a success in England.
River coach Marcelo Gallardo is an admirer. "He is a player who never gives up," he said. "He worked very hard to get where he is. He's always professional and gave his best for the team."
He is a player who never gives up. He worked very hard to get where he is. He's always professional and gave his best for the team.
Former River hero and the club's general manager Enzo Francescoli has also talked up Funes Mori's character – and ability. "He is a very nice guy," said Francescoli.
"River have a very good squad with players of great quality, but Ramiro is one of the best that I have seen in the last few years. He deserves everything that is happening for him.
"He was in the team when River played in the second division, worked hard for the team, and in the last year won everything, even getting called up to the national team."
As Garavaglia puts it, "Ramiro Funes Mori is a quiet man and can seem quite shy, but he's actually got a strong character."
So why is he leaving River?
Such is the financial power of the Premier League, River were powerless to resist. "We had a conversation," said Gallardo. "But he showed me the contract that he had been offered from England and I couldn't stop him." Francescoli agreed.
The Uruguayan said: "The great performances that Ramiro has kept on delivering for more than a year now meant we knew that sooner or later there was going to be an offer for him that neither River nor he would be able to refuse."
The great performances that Ramiro has kept on delivering for more than a year now meant we knew that sooner or later there was going to be an offer for him that neither River nor he would be able to refuse.
However, Funes Mori has been keen to stress that his motives are more than financial. This is about career progression in Europe. "I took a difficult decision," he said.
"It's not easy to leave the best team in the country, but I took the decision to take another step forward.
"I would have liked to play the Club World Cup in December but the dreams that I had with River have already come true. I leave as a winner and now I want to extend that in Europe.
"It's difficult to leave River but I always said that if a good offer arrived I was going to analyse it, and this was a very good one, not only for me, but also for the club."
Anything else we need to know?
It wasn't just twin brother Rogelio's on-field struggles with the River fans that caused problems for Funes Mori. With the two men being identical, the confusion has been a feature of his everyday life.
"Many times he had to make clear to people on the streets that he wasn't Rogelio," said Garavaglia. "A few times he had some problems in the days when the supporters were angry with his brother.
"There have also been funny situations with the girlfriends of each other and with the team-mates in the dressing room.
"But the most amusing example was when a coach in a training session put him to play in the attack thinking he was Rogelio, and put Rogelio in the defence."
He says…
"Everything is happening very fast - England, the national team, winning major trophies with River.
"This is the beginning of a great dream because I am young and I have a long career ahead of me. Now I have to think of my new team and give back all the trust they put in me."
They say…
Gabriel Mercado (River defender): "Friend, I want to wish you the best for this new experience. I will never forget that you were the first person that introduced me to River's world when I joined this team. It's not easy to find people like you. Have success."
Fernando Cavenaghi (striker and idol at River): "All the best in this new adventure, my friend. You deserve this very much. Success and all the best in what is about to come."
So will he fit in well at Everton?
Adapting to the fast-paced world of the Premier League is a tough challenge for any defender, although Funes Mori's aerial capabilities offer cause for some cautious optimism.
"For the type of football that is played in England, I think that Ramiro will not have any problem in fitting in," said Garavaglia. "Most of all because he is not going to be at one of the very biggest teams in the Champions League.
"He is already used to playing under the sort of pressure he'll experience at Everton. For getting adapted to English football, I think that he has gone to the correct team."
