Everton new boy Kevin Mirallas has revealed he turned down a move to Arsenal in order to ensure he would get more time on the pitch.
The Belgian completed a £5.3 million move from Greek outfit Olympiakos on Sunday, and was revealed to the club's fans ahead of their 1-0 win over Manchester United.And the forward, who scored 20 league goals last season, has admitted that the possibility of joining the Gunners had arisen this summer.
"Discussions were at quite an advanced stage with Arsenal but it was always clear it would be totally down to me to make the decision,'' he told the club's official website.
"I was convinced that what was important for me at this stage of my career, embarking on new league, is to get plenty of time on the field.
"I had a possibility of playing more games and longer periods with Everton."
The Belgium international also revealed that Everton manager David Moyes and his compatriot Marouane Fellaini played a large part in convincing him to move to Merseyside.
"A number of clubs were showing interest in me and my discussions with the manager here were very important," he continued.
"From the word go I was really impressed by the extent to which the manager wanted me here. Firstly he has been here for a good number of years and has a solid base so there is stability at the club.
"He also showed a lot of confidence in me in the conversations we had and he really wanted me to come to the club and that was another influence, definitely.
"We [Fellaini and himself] had a couple of phone conversations and it definitely influenced my decision.
"He convinced me the club was an ideal fit for me and hopefully it is a place where I can exploit my talents and grow as a player and perform well.
"He told me it was very much a family spirit about the place and I could expect a warm welcome from the fans.
''Not only has he helped me in coming to the club but I also think he will help me as I settle in as it is always nice to have a fellow countryman beside you when you are getting to know a place."
