Goalkeeper Justin Haber completed his switch to Floriana yesterday after putting pen to paper on a three-year contract.

Having spent the early years of his career with Floriana, Haber had set his heart on a return to his hometown club after it became apparent that he had no future with Hibs following the arrival of fellow Malta keeper Andrew Hogg in the close season.

“I’ve returned to my roots,” Haber told the Times of Malta after being presented to the Floriana fans early yesterday afternoon.

“Floriana will always have a special place in my heart, and I’m honoured to wear the shirt of my idol, the late David Cluett.”

Although Haber’s short spell with Hibs, whom he joined from Birkirkara last January, has ended on a sour note, the 35-year-old thanked the Paola club’s fans for their affection.

“I would like to place on record my gratitude to the Hibs fans who made feel welcome during my time with the club,” Haber said.

Haber, who was due to report for his first training session with Floriana yesterday, will be hoping to make his debut for Giovanni Tedesco’s team in their opening Premier League match against Pembroke on Saturday.

At Floriana, Haber faces a strong challenge for the no.1 shirt from Malta Under-21 international Matthew Calleja Cremona who has been the club’s first-choice for the past two seasons.

While Haber has returned to his first love more than 14 years after his last appearance for the club, another old Floriana boy made international headlines yesterday.

Picture accompanying a Floriana-Sliema match report in season 2007-08 shows Yannick Bolasie, then playing for the Greens, making a challenge on Roderick Briffa. Bolasie yesterday signed for Everton.

Yannick ‘Yala’ Bolasie finalised his much-anticipated move to Everton from Crystal Palace on a five-year contract.

The financial terms of the transfer were not revealed but media reports said Everton paid an initial fee of €28.7 million (£25m) for the 27-year-old winger.

Bolasie’s lucrative switch to Everton caps a remarkable journey for the Congo international who, at the age of 18, had a one-year spell with Floriana, scoring four goals in the 2007-08 championship.

Malta experience

Although Bolasie left Floriana after only one season, he believes that his experience in Maltese football aided his progress in the initial stages of his professional career.

“I was hungry to play at a decent level, so anything was good at that time,” Bolasie said in an interview with FIFA’s official website two years ago.

“I enjoyed it and got to know loads of people that I’m still in contact with. Overall it was a good experience and I guess I was pretty young to be a foreigner over there.

“Their league was protected where they were only allowed three foreigners.”

After his short stint with the Greens, Bolasie returned to England to sign for Plymouth Argyle where he stayed for three seasons.

He then moved to Bristol City in 2011 but it was at Crystal Palace where his career flourished after joining them in 2012.

Describing his move to Everton as “a no-brainer”, Bolasie said he was determined to work hard to make the desired impact at his new club.

“It was a no-brainer to come here but now I’ve come to Everton, the job is not done.

“I’ve got to work hard and feel my way in. I’m ready and up for the challenge,” he said in a statement.

Everton’s new manager Ronald Koeman is confident that Bolasie will add speed, strength and versatility to his attack.

“Yannick is a player who has been a long time on my radar because he’s the type of winger I like, fast, strong and he can play different positions in the forward line,” the Dutchman said.

“He’s a good age and he has experience in the Premier League.

“Yannick will give strength to the team and I’m very pleased to have him as part of what we are trying to build here at Everton.”