Ruben Vinagre is relishing the chance to work under "football legend" Frank Lampard and coach Ashley Cole at Everton after completing a season-long loan move from Sporting CP.
The 23-year-old, who previously spent two full seasons in the Premier League with Wolves, becomes Everton's second signing of the window following the arrival of James Tarkowski.
Vinagre only joined Sporting on a permanent basis earlier this month, but the loan agreement between the Portuguese club and Everton is reported to contain an option for the Toffees to purchase the defender outright next year.
He can operate as a left-back or left wing-back and will provide competition for Vitalii Mykolenko this coming campaign, with Niels Nkounkou another option in that position for Lampard.
Everton confirmed the loan signing on their official website on Wednesday, and the former Portugal Under-21 international – who is in line to make his debut in Friday's friendly against Dynamo Kyiv – is eager to get going.
"It's a dream come true to join a big club like Everton," he told Everton TV. "The opportunity to work with very good players and a very good coach in Frank Lampard made me excited to sign.
"The manager is a football legend. Everybody knows him and the opportunity to work with and learn from him and someone like Ashley Cole – one of football's best left-backs – is very big for me.
"Kevin [Thelwell, director of football] was important, too, because he knows me very well from when we worked together at Wolves.
"He explained to me about Everton's proud history and the qualities you need here because it's a very big club and you have to give everything for the supporters."
Vinagre featured 18 times during his time on loan with Sporting last season and did not taste defeat in any of his domestic league or cup appearances.
As well as making 69 appearances for Wolves in all competitions, the full-back has also previously played for Monaco, Olympiacos and Famalicao.
Al Hilal crowned Saudi Pro League champions after Al Hazm hammering
Al Hilal secured their fourth straight Saudi Pro League title after Aleksandar Mitrovic starred in Saturday's 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Al Hazm.
Faiz Selemani restored parity after Mitrovic's 15th-minute opener at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, only for Jorge Jesus' hosts to roar back and be crowned champions with three games remaining.
Ahmed Al Juwaid's own goal handed the initiative back to the dominant Al Hilal, who led 4-1 at the break after Mitrovic added another to his tally and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was on target.
The second of Mitrovic's strikes took him to a team-leading 26 league goals this term as Al Hilal breezed to another title, moving an unassailable 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr.
Jesus' side are unbeaten through all 31 games this season after securing their record-extending 19th top-flight crown in history, while Al Hazm need to win their last three matches to have any chance of staying up.
Al Hazm's relegation rivals Al Tai boosted their chances of survival in Saturday's earlier clash after a 1-1 draw away against Al Raed.
Al Tai are just a point away from 15th-placed Abha Club in their bid for top-flight safety after Ibrahim Al Nakhli's strike was cancelled out by Al Raed's Mohammed Fouzair in the second half.
Everton 1-0 Sheffield United: Toffees extend unbeaten run
Everton secured a 1-0 victory against Sheffield United at Goodison Park thanks to Abdoulaye Doucoure’s seventh Premier League goal of the season.
The Toffees were already assured of safety heading into Saturday’s contest, but they kept their positive run of form going against their already-relegated opponents.
Doucoure enjoyed a host of chances in the first half before his breakthrough arrived in the 31st minute after good play from Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Ben Brereton Diaz looked bright for the away side in the second half, but he couldn’t help mount a comeback for Chris Wilder’s men, who will finish the season in 20th place.
Dwight McNeil’s floated delivery to the back post should have led to a goal after he found the head of Doucoure in space in the 11th minute, but he failed to divert his effort into the back of the net from a few yards out.
Just minutes later, Doucoure was presented with another gilt-edged chance as he arrived in the box one-on-one with the goalkeeper from Calvert-Lewin’s cutback, but Wes Foderingham spread himself well to make a superb stop.
The Toffees eventually opened the scoring in the 31st minute after Calvert-Lewin latched on to a throughball from McNeil before rounding the goalkeeper, and he picked out Doucoure inside the box to head into an empty net.
Brereton Diaz found himself in space on the edge of the penalty area after the break as the Blades searched for an equaliser, but his shot flew into the stand behind the goal.
Shortly after, the lively Brereton Diaz broke into the Everton box and looked to create a goalscoring opportunity, but a strong last-ditch challenge from James Tarkowski prevented a shot on goal.
Wilder’s side continued to push in the final stages of the game, and Cameron Archer was allowed space to turn on the edge in the 80th minute, but he dragged his shot wide as the Blades were on the end of another loss.
Everton's unbeaten run continues
Since losing 6-0 to Chelsea, Everton have won four and drawn one of their five Premier League games - their longest unbeaten run of the season.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has now kept 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, with that his second most in a single campaign after 2018-19 (14).
The Toffees remain in 15th place in the table after picking up the victory, one point ahead of Brentford as they aim to finish as high as possible now safety is confirmed.
101 goals conceded for the Blades
Sheffield United have conceded 101 Premier League goals this season - just the second side to do so in a single campaign in the competition after Swindon in 1993-94. In a 38-game (or less) English top-flight season, only Darwen (112 in 1891-92) and Leicester City (102 in 1908-09) have shipped more.
The Blades will end the season in 20th place in the Premier League table, regardless of their result on the final day, with the Yorkshire side now preparing for at least one season back in the Championship.
Wilder and his team will host top-four chasing Tottenham in their last fixture of the campaign, with the Bramall Lane faithful getting the chance to see their side for the final time this season.
Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display
Karl Toko Ekambi netted a hat-trick as Al-Ettifaq got back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
He scored twice in four minutes at the end of the first half to send the visitors into the break 4-0 up before getting his third just 10 minutes after the break.
Seko Fofana had already given Steven Gerrard’s side the lead five minutes into the contest, while Moussa Dembele doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.
Al-Ittihad had the chances, but they could not find the back of the net, as they stayed fifth, but are now just six points above Al-Ettifaq.
Data Debrief: Clinical finishers
Al-Ettifaq had five shots on target against Al-Ittihad, scoring with all of them while creating an xG of 3.62.
With his hat-trick against Al-Ittihad, Ekambi has now scored 11 goals for the season, netting more than once for the first time since joining the club.
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