On this day in 2005, Everton were beaten by Villarreal 2-1 in the Champions League at Goodison Park, with Juan Roman Riquelme running the show In the summer of 2007, Everton announced the signing of Juan Roman Riquelme. They did so in a short statement on the club's official website, which in the main was how supporters discovered their team had landed a new player in those days. Could you imagine it now? The 'Here We Gos' and 'Bombas!' and 'We are backs' would've been off the chart on Everton 's corner of X.
The reaction would've been so startling because Riquelme was such gifted footballer. While the transfer feels like a ridiculous one in hindsight, at the time? Less so. Everton had long been linked with the Argentina playmaker, who had shone for Villarreal after a challenging stint at Barcelona.
Everton were making progress under David Moyes too of course. The Blues finished fifth in the Premier League in the following season and were knocked out of the UEFA Cup on penalties by Fiorentina after a stirring night at Goodison Park. So the announcement wasn't necessarily ridiculed.
The subsequent Everton climbdown was though. It continues to be. The Blues had not signed Riquelme after all, it would turn out.
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