FORMER Everton star Kevin Mirallas has revealed that he tried to leave Goodison Park just weeks after signing.
The Belgian, who retired in August, went on to spend seven years as a Toffee.
But it could all have been so different, as he struggled in his first season.
Mirallas, now 36, was loving life at his old club Olympiacos – with his first child born in Greece.
When Everton came in with a £6million bid, however, the winger’s agent insisted that he make the move.
Opening up on the transfer while chatting to Eleven Belgium, Mirallas said: “When I signed in England I didn’t want to go there.
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“I felt really good at Olympiacos, I felt good at the football level, at the family level as my son had just been born so there was stability.
“My agent really pushed it. I don’t regret it because it was one of my best spells, I spent seven years there, but I didn’t want to go.”
Elaborating on the emotional day he left Greece, he added: “I felt really good, my life was really good, there was a quality of life behind it and in England I had to start all over again.
“The day I left Olympiacos I cried; I didn’t want to leave.
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“I arrived at Everton in August, it was 14 degrees, raining. I went ‘wow’. I left ten days after my son was born.”
Life at Goodison wasn’t all bad, but an early twist in his Toffees tale had Mirallas wanting to quit.
He continued: “In England it was great, the stadium and all that. The coach, David Moyes, wanted me to have everything prepared, I had a magnificent welcome and was well compensated but, in my head, I wasn’t prepared.
“Then I got injured and in October I phoned my agent and said I want to leave.
“He tells me I signed for five years but I said ‘do what you want but I don’t want to stay’.
“He says to me ‘you’re crazy, everyone wants to be in your place’ but I just said ‘call those in charge, I don’t want to stay’.”
Mirallas ultimately persevered, going on to have a successful stay at Goodison.
He made 186 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 38 goals and laying on 35 assists.
The 60-cap international spent his final 18 months at Everton away on loan back at Olympiacos and also Fiorentina.
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Mirallas left Goodison for good in 2019, signing for Royal Antwerp.
He then finished his career with spells in Turkey, Portugal and Cyprus.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
