Nice signing Morgan Schneiderlin has paid tribute to former club Everton.

Schneiderlin has described former club Everton as 'classy' in dealing with his departure to Nice this month - but revealed he hoped to leave last summer.

The midfielder told Nice-Matin: "I wanted to leave already last year, I was close to doing so, but then the club held me back, saying that they were really counting on me for this season, but that they would allow me to leave the following summer.

"I said to the Sporting Director to close all other negotiations. I had chosen Nice and I was not going to go anywhere else. From that moment on, they were very classy."