Steven Pienaar returns to Toffees

Steven Pienaar signed a four year contract at Everton

LIVERPOOL, England   ●  Everton have re-signed Steven Pienaar, with the playmaker returning to the club from Tottenham in a £4.5 million deal 18 months after moving to north London.

Pienaar, 30, left Goodison Park in January 2011 but after struggling to make an impact at Spurs following the £3 million move he was sent back to the Toffees on loan this January.

The South Africa international impressed during the second half of last season, prompting David Moyes to try to make the move permanent – with the two clubs believed to have been negotiating a deal for a number of weeks.

Everton have now confirmed on their official website that the transfer has been completed after Pienaar passed a medical on Tuesday, with the player signing a four-year contract.

“I am happy to be here. It took a few weeks to sort out but I am delighted to be back and excited to play for Everton,” Pienaar told evertontv.

“There was no doubt in my mind that I would be back here. At the end of the season I told the manager how I felt and I am happy now it is all done.”

●  West Ham United until now have failed in a bid to sign Andy Carroll despite Liverpool accepting their £19 million offer.

The Hammers had agreed a £2 million season-long loan with a stipulation that they pay £17 million at the end of the season should they retain their Premier League status.

However, having spent weeks working on the bid and finding the resources to fund the England international’s £80,000 a week wages, Carroll has rejected the chance to move to Upton Park.

“Sadly we have a deal in place with Liverpool, but the player does not want to come permanently at this time,” a club source told ESPN.

West Ham had hoped that the fact Carroll’s agent, Mark Curtis, also represents Sam Allardyce and Kevin Nolan may boost their chances of a move, with Nolan a good friend of the striker.

However, it is understood that Carroll is only willing to play for a club that is competing in European competition, and Newcastle United, who had earlier seen a bid rejected, would be his preferred destination if he is to leave Anfield.

●  Melbourne Heart defender Curtis Good is headed for the Premier League after signing a six-year deal with Newcastle United.

The highly-rated 19-year-old centre-back made 25 appearances for the Heart in his debut A-League season in 2011-12 and, during a trial with the northern England giants in June, impressed manager Alan Pardew enough to win a permanent deal.

He will join up with his new team-mates later this week when they return from a pre-season trip to Portugal.

Melbourne-born Good, who has played three matches for Australia’s under-20s side, was signed for a reported transfer fee of $600,000.