Official: Everton sign ex-Southampton defender Cuco Martina

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Liverpool, July 18: English football club Everton have announced the signing of former Southampton defender Cuco Martina on a three-year deal.

Martina, 27, has spent the last two years with Southampton, but was released last month and signed with Everton on a free transfer on Monday (July 17).

Martina while talking to Everton website said, "Everton is a big club with big ambitions and I'm really looking forward to joining this group of players and the manager as we try to step forward next season."

"Obviously, I know the manager from my time at Southampton, so I know what he wants and he knows what I can do.

"Everton supporters are really passionate about their Club and everyone's excited about where the Club is aiming. You can see this is a club that wants to achieve something and the players we are bringing certainly show this."

"When you come to a new club, you need to get to know one another so the training camp in Holland will be great for me and for the other new players as well. We will play against Twente, one of my old clubs too, and I'm really looking forward to showing everyone what I can do."

Curacao international Martina is now reunited with former Southampton coach Ronald Koeman at Everton.

The manager Koeman said: "Cuco Martina is an experienced player who can perform in different positions at the back, which is important."

"It's also important, with the number of games we will face in the coming campaign, that we have strength and competition in the squad."

"I brought the player to Southampton, so I know what he can do for us here and this is why I've now brought him to Everton. He is a player who will strengthen our squad and be able to play in different positions when that's needed, too."

Everton travel to the Netherlands to continue their pre-season training with a match against Eredivisie side FC Twente on Wednesday (July 19).

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