Godfrey is the fifth major summer signing at Everton, following the arrivals of James Rodriguez, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Niels Nkounkou
Monday 5 October 2020 18:53, UK
Everton have completed the signing of defender Ben Godfrey from Norwich for a fee of £20m.
Carlo Ancelotti has been in the market for a centre-back and switched attentions to the 22-year-old after a loan deal for first-choice target - Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori - became increasingly unlikely to happen.
Godfrey made 30 top-flight appearances for Norwich as Daniel Farke's side were relegated to the Sky Bet Championship last season, but impressed nonetheless along with Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis in defence for the Canaries.
"It is an honour to sign for Everton and to be part of a huge club," Godfrey said. "I am very thankful for the opportunity and I can't wait to get started.
"The aim for me at Everton is to win trophies and win games. I like to win. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I care and I am a passionate lad.
"The fans can guarantee they will get 110 per cent out of me when I am on the pitch.
"This is a club full of history that has an exciting team full of world-class players who will help me kick on to the next level. I am looking forward to working with them and, hopefully, having great times with Everton Football Club.
"Carlo Ancelotti, Marcel Brands and the Board want success for the Club and it is really exciting to be here.
"The manager's past speaks for itself. He has worked with some top-class centre-backs. I will be able to learn so much from him and he is going to help me get to that next level, which is where I want to be."
The England U21 international, who made his Young Lions debut last year and started both European U21 Championship qualifiers earlier in September, has featured three times for Norwich so far in the Championship this season.
AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen expressed interest in the defender, who Norwich were valuing at around £30m, earlier in the summer transfer window.
Godfrey becomes the fifth major summer signing at Everton, following the arrivals of James Rodriguez, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Niels Nkounkou.
Sky Sports' Ben Grounds:
"Having missed out on Gabriel, Chelsea duo Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori were among those on a shortlist drawn up by the club's transfer committee - but with the window's deadline fast approaching, and Frank Lampard's reluctance to let either depart Stamford Bridge, Everton have looked elsewhere.
"In signing Godfrey from Norwich, the promising England Under-21 centre-back joins Niels Nkounkou as part of the club's longer-term thinking. The 22-year-old - along with Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis - stood out for the Canaries despite their relegation last season, and there is plenty to suggest he can flourish at Goodison Park.
"Godfrey is joining senior England international Michael Keane, in addition to the fast-maturing Mason Holgate, among Everton's defensive options. The player's versatility is another appealing aspect of his make up.
"With seven successive wins to start a season for the first time since the 1938/39 campaign, there is a wave of optimism around Goodison these days. Godfrey has all the necessary attributes to follow in the footsteps of his mentor Ferdinand, representing another sign of progress in Ancelotti's project at a new-look Everton."
