Everton set to sign £8.6m Leroy Fer from FC Twente

Everton have agreed an £8.6m fee for FC Twente's Dutch midfielder Leroy Fer.

The 23-year-old has scored 10 goals in 29 appearances for Steve McClaren's FC Twente.

A statement on Everton's official club website said: "He will now head to Merseyside to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical."

Everton, who entertain West Brom on Wednesday, are fifth in the Premier League table, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

Fer has won two caps for the Netherlands, where he is nicknamed "The Bouncer" because of his size and strength.

He started his career at Feyenoord before moving to Twente in 2011 and has been described as a combative midfielder.

Everton boss David Moyes has been keen to sign a central midfielder for some time, having failed with a bid to sign Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe from Club Brugge in the summer.

Instead he signed German international Thomas Hitzlsperger on a short-term deal which has been extended until the end of the season.

It was reported last year that Fer spent £22,000 on a horse for his girlfriend, only to discover she would not be able to keep it partly on account of living in a block of high-rise flats.