Nyarko To Stay On At Everton

Everton have applied for a new work permit for their Ghanaian midfielder Alex Nyarko, and expect to be allowed to play him for the final year of his contract.

When Nyarko originally arrived on a five-year contract in July 2000, Britain's governmental regulations only allowed a four-year permit to be issued.

Nyarko's Everton career seemed to be over in 2001 when the club loaned him out to Monaco and Paris Saint Germain in France in an attempt to sell the player.

"The application has already been made," an Everton spokesman explained.

"If he arrived in the UK now on a five-year contract, he would be able to get a five-year permit, but the rules were different then and four was as much as he could have.

"Now he has worked his way back into the first-team squad and we would want him playing in the final year of his contract."

Nyarko was loaned out after he was involved in an infamous incident when an angry Everton fan ran onto the field at Arsenal and offered to swap shirts with the Ghanaian, because he thought the player's performance was so poor.

At the time, the player said then he "would never play for the club again."

Nyarko has made nine appearance for the club this season and was in the starting line-up for Saturday's 1-0 win over Portsmouth.

And the Ghanaian himself is happy with this latest development.

"My work permit finishes in June and I still have another year left on my contract," he said.

"I hope to be an Everton player as I am today."

"It is nice to be back, I'm happy.

"I'm happy with the people around, the fans, the players, the coaches and I feel happy in my life.

"I feel happier now compared to three years ago. Things have changed a lot, the management and all that."