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Premier League: Leighton Baines hails impact of Samuel Eto'o at Everton

Samuel Eto'o of Everton heads home his team's third goal
Image: Samuel Eto'o: Scored on his debut for Everton

Everton defender Leighton Baines has hailed the impact veteran striker Samuel Eto'o has already had at Goodison Park.

The 33-year-old former Cameroon international joined Everton on a two-year deal this summer after his contract at Chelsea expired.

He scored a fantastic header on his debut in the 6-3 defeat against his former club on Saturday and Baines insists the former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan ace oozes class.

Baines told the Liverpool Echo: “From his first training session he looked sharp.

“I know it sounds stupid but even the way he passes the ball is done properly. He moves in the right way.

I know it sounds stupid but even the way he passes the ball is done properly. He moves in the right way.
Leighton Baines on Samuel Eto'o

“It sounds like small things but he just looks a good footballer and he can’t half finish as well.

“He’ll always have that goal-scoring instinct. His movement will always be good.

“We’ve seen bits of it so far in training and then against Chelsea that he can make an impact.”

Everton boss Roberto Martinez is also impressed with the form of his new acquisition, saying: “That’s a real bonus for us, to see Samuel already in such a good moment of form and making such a good introduction into his Everton career.

“He’s fitted into the dressing room really well so I am really happy to see him have that big impact and we have to work extremely hard to get him up to speed so he can play 90 minutes in every game.

“I thought he played with real experience, real know-how and you could see that every time he got involved in the action there was real meaning behind it.”

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