Moyes excited by Fer signing
Everton boss David Moyes believes Leroy Fer will prove an exciting young addition to the Barclays Premier League.
The Toffees announced on Monday they had agreed an #8.6million deal with FC Twente for the midfielder, who was undergoing a medical while Moyes conducted his press conference.
Fer, 23, is nicknamed 'The Bouncer' because of his combative style in the middle of the park and is poised to become Everton's first signing of the January transfer window.
Moyes said: "He's a really good player, but he's not signed yet, he's only part way through his medical, so there's a bit to go before we can confirm anything.
"He's someone who we've liked for a long time. He's young and he's certainly an up-and-coming prospect, which we like the sound of. He is somebody who we think can help us."
If everything goes smoothly, Fer could make his debut against Aston Villa on Saturday, and the Dutchman hopes he will be a natural fit for English football.
Fer told Voetbal International: "A transfer in January is not ideal. But I think Everton is a nice club and a serious challenger for a place in the Champions League.
"The Premier League is a league that I've always wanted to play football in. With my style of play, I think England will be the right place to go."
First up for the Toffees is a home match against West Brom, where they will hope to take the momentum from Saturday's last-gasp FA Cup fourth-round victory over Bolton.
Everton have drawn both their last two league games without scoring, against Swansea and Southampton, but remain in fifth place and only three points off the top four.
Moyes said: "We've worked hard to be in a strong position in the Premier League. We're slightly disappointed that we drew the last two games but it hasn't got us in any worse position.
"We've now got a couple of home games and we have to try to take advantage of it. But West Brom are a tough nut to crack. They're one of the only teams who have beaten us this season, and I think Steve Clarke's done a really good job.
"If anybody's turning up thinking this is a foregone conclusion, they're quite a bit off the mark I think.
"We just have to keep ploughing on and picking up the points. January's a long hard month, which it's proved to be. Once we come out of this month we can maybe look to see where we've got to go."
Everton are set to be without Kevin Mirallas and Seamus Coleman for the clash.
Winger Mirallas again limped off with a hamstring problem at Bolton, his second abortive comeback from the injury he first suffered two months ago.
Full-back Coleman is expected to be out for at least another two weeks with a thigh injury while midfielder Darron Gibson has suffered a slight setback in his own recovery from a thigh problem.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ben Foster insists no radical overhaul of West Brom's performances is necessary despite a recent dip in results.
The Baggies will be looking for their first win of 2013 when they visit Everton.
West Brom have collected only one point from their last four league games and crashed out of the FA Cup to QPR in a third-round replay.
But Foster is refusing to press the panic button and believes Steve Clarke's side will soon get back on track.
The former England international said: "The performances have been good. We've carried on what we've been doing. It's just the results have changed.
"If you look at the last four or five games we've been unlucky, even going back to Manchester United when we lost 2-0 and they know they'd been in a very good game.
"We deserved at least a point from the Fulham game, if not three. As for Reading, it was crazy, ridiculous after leading 2-0.
"For 83 minutes we were amazing, passing and defending well, just a pleasure to watch, and we lose 3-2.
"I don't think we are reading too much into it. The spirit is still there."
Clarke will check on the fitness of four players before finalising his side.
Strikers Shane Long (dead leg) and Marc-Antoine Fortune (hamstring), defender Steven Reid (leg) and midfielder Claudio Yacob (shoulder) will be assessed.
Midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu is expected to return to the Hawthorns from African Nations Cup duty after the Democratic Republic of Congo's exit but is more likely to be under consideration for Sunday's home clash with Tottenham.
Source: PA
Source: PA