Signed as a 22 year old from Djurgardens for £400,000 in the summer of 1989, Stefan Rehn was touted as a long term successor to Paul Bracewell as Colin Harvey sought to rebuild Everton according to his own vision. The Sweden international midfielder, who became Everton’s first foreign signing, was considered amongst the finest Scandinavian players of his generation – but his Everton career was notable only for its brevity: 2 starts, 4 substitute appearances.

Indeed it never really recovered after an incident in a bruising First Division clash with Millwall in October 1989 [check this].  Called upon as a first half substitute, Rehn was immediately marked by the Lions’ combative midfielder, Terry Hurlock. So completely was he physically overshadowed by his opponent that on the hour mark he himself was substituted, his credibility shattered.

Sold to IFK Gothenburg the following summer, he was a key component of the team that won four Swedish titles in five years. Rehn also featured in the Sweden squad that finished third in the 1994 World Cup. A five year spell in Switzerland was followed by a return to Djurgardens in 2000. In 2002, his last season as a player, he was an instrumental part of the Stockholm club’s first league title win in 36 years. Subsequently he turned to management, taking charge of IFK Gothenburg in 2007.