Niels Nkounkou has kicked off his Everton career today.

The Liverpool Echo says Nkounkou officially begins his Everton career this week as the club's under-23s return for pre-season training.

The Blues made Nkounkou the first - and so far only - signing of the summer when they snapped him up after he left Marseille at the end of his contract.

Everton, it is believed, will have to pay training compensation in the region of £240,000 to the Ligue 1 side for the 19-year-old left-back.

Nkounkou flew over to Liverpool at the end of last week ahead of starting at Finch Farm today under the guidance of David Unsworth.