Idan Tal joined Everton for an undisclosed fee variously estimated to between £700,000 and £925,000 after impressing during a trial at the club’s Italian training camp during the summer of 2000. 

His transfer was protracted until he had played two further internationals and could thus satisfy the Department of Employment’s work permit restrictions.  His early forays as a substitute were impressive, with some wistful Evertonians likening him to Pat Nevin.  Walter Smith gave him a run in the team over the winter of 2000 but ultimately preferred a string of other players on the Everton left as disparate as Mark Pembridge, Gary Naysmith, Jesper Blomqvist and David Ginola.

Tal made just one league start during the 2001/02 season and disappeared from view after David Moyes succeeded Smith as manager.  After his release in early-2003 he moved to Spain then back to Israel, briefly returning to the Premier League with Bolton in the 2006/07 season.