Moutinho Turned Everton Down

• omgukilledkenny

  3 Sep 08, 20:52

  

  It was not the fee but the player himself that was the stumbling block as Everton’s summer-long pursuit of Joao Moutinho came to nothing.

   

  "It's true I was interested in going to Everton, but I didn't accept the offer," Moutinho told The Daily Telegraph.

  "Who knows what might happen next season in terms of playing in England?"

  For now, though, Moutinho totally committed to playing in Portugal for Sporting.

  "I will give everything to Sporting, staying was good for me and the club," said the Sporting skipper.

  "We have an excellent team, we are strong, mature and want to continue to progress."

  His team-mate Miguel Veloso, who was also strongly linked with a move to the Premier League, reiterated his commitment to Sporting, saying: "I never thought about another club, I have a contract until 2013 and my body and soul is with Sporting."