CONFIRMED: Nikola Vlašić seals permanent move to CSKA Moscow

UPDATE: June 20th, 3pm BST

Everton have now confirmed the transfer with a tweet.

Everton forward Nikola Vlašić has left the club and signed a five-year contract deal with CSKA Moscow.

Vlašić, 21, spent 2018-19 on loan with CSKA and scored eight times in 34 games, including the winner in a Champions League match against Real Madrid in October.

The move was announced by CSKA’s Twitter account on Wednesday with the Toffees confirming the deal the following day. Though no fee has been announced as yet several reports put it at about £14 million, with the Liverpool Echo also reporting that the Toffees have negotiated a sell-on clause as part of the deal.

The Croat joined the Blues the previous summer from Hajduk Split for £10 million, shortly after facing them in the Europa League.

He was one of Everton’s few bright sparks at the start of 2017-18, but after Ronald Koeman’s sacking in October 2017, found himself on the periphery under both caretaker boss David Unsworth and Koeman’s successor, Sam Allardyce.

Vlašić was then one of four players told by current Toffees manager Marco Silva to stay away from first team training during pre-season last summer.

He spoke repeatedly about Everton to the media during his loan spell at CSKA, including branding Allardyce’s style of play ‘boring’ and revealing his frustration at his lack of game time while at Goodison.

He departs Everton having made 19 appearances and scored two goals.