Former Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie has said he knew he was worth it after being sold by Crystal Palace to Everton for around £25million.
The DR Congo international left the Eagles in August 2016 after four years at Crystal Palace, having impressed for the south London club after arriving from Bristol City in the summer of 2012.
Bolasie became a key player for Palace as the Eagles were promoted via the Championship play-offs in the 2012/13 season, while he went on to shine in the Premier League too, scoring his first goal in the top flight against Everton in 2013 and a hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Sunderland in April 2015.
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But Bolasie was sold in the summer of 2016, with Everton completing a deal worth around £25million for the winger, who had come off the bench for Palace's 1-0 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion two days before his move, only to then join the Toffees and make his debut against the Baggies a few days later.
It was a transfer that surprised some, given the size of the fee involved, but Bolasie has said that he knew what he could do and why he felt wanted by Everton.
"It’s so much money, but I knew I was worth it," Bolasie told FourFourTwo. "I could see what I did on the pitch. I took people out of the game. In one-versus-one situations, I fancied myself all day long.
"At one point, Crystal Palace gaffer Alan Pardew started to play me through the middle because he knew I could draw two markers, which made space for the likes of Wilf [Zaha], Jason Puncheon and Glenn Murray.
"My game wasn’t all about goals and assists; it was also about the little things that people didn’t see as often. I knew my worth to Palace and knew what I could bring to Everton – that’s why they wanted to sign me so much."
Bolasie made 15 appearances for Everton that season following his move, scoring one goal, only for his campaign to be cut short after he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in December 2016.
The injury ruled him out for more than one year and although he returned to play 17 more games for Everton, he failed to establish himself as a regular on Merseyside, with Bolasie going out on several different loan spells, including to Aston Villa, Anderlecht, Sporting Lisbon and Middlesbrough.
He then left Everton in June 2021, signing for Turkish Super Lig club Caykur Rizespor a couple of months later. Since moving to Turkey, Bolasie has played 27 times in the league, scoring twice.
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