Merlin Rohl names the NBA superstar who inspired him to take his Everton shirt number

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Everton finished the transfer window with one deadline day signing in German midfielder Merlin Rohl.

The 23-year-old arrives with promise as Rohl thinks he’s a box-to-box midfielder, with David Moyes improving his midfield options.

After a strong stint at Freiburg, Rohl joins on loan with an obligation to buy, as he’s impressed for the Germany under-21s as well.

It was a quiet deadline in the end for the Toffees, but all the attention will be on Rohl as he embarks on a new chapter.

Everton’s new recruit has picked a unique number after his transfer, but it has an interesting meaning behind it.

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Everton’s Merlin Rohl says number 34 ‘stands for’ NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo

Nine new arrivals will satisfy Moyes as Rohl is a solid 7/10 signing, judging by his age and potential.

But the German decided to pick the number 34, which might have been a surprise to fans when the number eight is still available.

However, the midfielder has good reason for this, as he has taken inspiration from an NBA star who dons the same number.

“I wore it in the past; it was my first number,” Rohl said.

“I personally came from a good family, lots of possibilities.

“The number stands for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He came from the bottom and worked his way up.

“I always try to keep in mind that not everybody has the same possibilities as me.”

Antetokounmpo is one of the biggest names in the NBA, so it shows that Rohl has a strong mentality to reach the top.

The number 34 will hopefully make his debut after the international break, and Moyes might have hit the jackpot.

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Everton have signed a ‘complete’ midfielder in Merlin Rohl

Rohl will more than likely be a squad option, but with an £18 million buy clause, he’ll still have an integral role.

The midfielder showed his ability last summer in the EURO under-21 tournament, where he almost played a role in his country winning the tournament until they lost the final to England.

This is only a glimpse of what the 23-year-old could bring to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and his previous manager was a huge fan of the star.

Rohl’s coach at Ingolstadt, Tomas Oral, praised the box-to-box midfielder as quoted by the Bundesliga, saying: “Merlin’s the complete midfielder. He can do it defensively and offensively.”

Adding to this, Rohl has been called a ‘natural footballer’, and it looks like the Toffees have landed the full package.