Thomas Vermaelen has backed Ronald Koeman to turn around his Everton spell.
Pressure is mounting on Koeman after a disastrous start to the Blues’ new season despite a summer of unprecedented summer of spending by the Dutchman.
Everton’s majority backer Farhad Moshiri offered his ‘total support’ to Koeman in the wake of last weekend’s defeat to Burnley in front of a restless home crowd.
Goodison Park icon Trevor Steven had warned that the former Southampton manager faced a matter of weeks to save his job.
But Barcelona defender Vermaelen, who worked with Koeman at Ajax, believes his old boss remains in a strong position to revive Everton’s season.
“He’s shown at Southampton and Ajax that he’s a great manager,” he told Sky Sports News.
“He has the experience to turn it around for sure.”
Koeman had attempted to bring Vermaelen to Merseyside in a transfer deadline day move, only for the Belgium international to remain at the Nou Camp.
However Vermaelen has revealed to DH newspaper in his homeland that Barca blocked his hopes of a switch to Everton.
He said: “The board told me they needed four centre-backs.
“I didn’t have a choice but to stay. Clubs tried until the very last day, like Everton, but it was impossible.
“I wasn’t even able to negotiate with any clubs.
“Unfortunately, my release clause is very expensive (€80 million) – who was going to pay that?”
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