Everton have confirmed the £9.5 million signing of Ramiro Funes Mori from River Plate on a five-year contract.
Mori, 24, who has been allocated the No. 25 shirt at Goodison Park, passed a medical with the Toffees on Aug. 23 after they had agreed a fee with the Argentine club.
Delays in securing a work permit held up the transfer, but they have now been sorted out, with Everton announcing the Argentina international's arrival on Tuesday morning.
CONFIRMED: #EFC complete signing of defender Ramiro Funes Mori for a fee of £9.5m on a five-year deal. #WelcomeFunes pic.twitter.com/VqzR9NZQol
- Everton (@Everton) September 1, 2015
Part of the reason for the original hold-up was that Mori has played only once for his country -- and needed to have played in at least 30 percent of Argentina's matches over the last two years to gain a work permit automatically.
However, new UK Home Office rules do allow a club to appeal to an "Exceptions Panel," which can grant a permit according to a points system that takes into account the size of the transfer fee, the players' wages and his success at club level.
Everton were always hopeful that Mori's winning of the Copa Libertadores with River Plate in early-August would count in his favour.
His signing follows the arrivals of winger Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona, midfielder Tom Cleverley from Manchester United and forward Leandro Rodriguez from Uruguayan club River Plate Montevideo.
