Jan Mucha definitely in Everton from July 2010

On the official website of FC Everton, it was confirmed on Saturday evening that Ján Mucha Jr. will become a player of the English Premier League club from July this year.

Slovak football goalkeeper Ján Mucha Jr. will join English top-flight side Everton from July 1, 2010. The Liverpool club’s official website announced the news on Saturday evening after their FA Cup 4th round match of the 2009/2010 season, in which the Toffees surprisingly lost 1–2 to Birmingham City.

In the previous days, the media had reported more or less reliable information suggesting that Mucha, one of the key figures in Slovakia’s historic qualification for this year’s World Cup, would move to Everton after the season. However, they mostly referred to unnamed sources. The transfer was officially confirmed on Saturday evening. The former goalkeeper of Inter Bratislava, Humenné, and Žilina is expected to finish the spring part of the current season with Legia Warsaw, where he wants to help the club win the Polish league title and qualify for European competition. After the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he will move permanently to the British Isles, having signed a three-year contract with Everton.

Several top clubs from Europe’s strongest football countries showed interest in Slovakia’s No. 1 goalkeeper. The 27-year-old native of Belá nad Cirochou, however, chose English side Everton. “I am glad Slovakia will have its first goalkeeper in the Premier League. Janko fully deserves this transfer after his long-term excellent performances for the national team and in the Polish league. He had concrete offers from Italy, France, and Turkey as well. He decided not for the most financially advantageous option, but for the best sporting choice. He now faces a battle for the No. 1 spot with Tim Howard. I am convinced he will succeed. The possibility of a loan is not completely excluded. There is still a week left until the end of the transfer window. I will provide more details about the background of the transfer and other interesting facts in the coming days,” said Jozef Tokos, agent of Ján Mucha Jr., for the SITA agency.