David Moyes’ reputation as a pragmatic manager is well-founded. His Everton team was certainly built from the back and reports from the Manchester United camp suggested he wanted to do likewise at Old Trafford. It’s going to be the same at Real Sociedad but Moyes has always liked a bit of flair too – and he’s got all that and more in Carlos Vela.

It was Moyes who took Steven Pienaar, Kevin Mirallas and Mikel Arteta to Goodison Park, the latter from La Real, and though they had to do their share of defensive work, their creativity wasn’t stifled by the Scot. He built a framework in which they could thrive and thrive they did – Pienaar for a time was Everton’s playmaker, Arteta rose to the status of captain and Mirallas remains an integral part of the team under Roberto Martinez.

Moyes should enjoy working with Vela, scorer of a hat-trick in Friday night’s win over Elche. Vela’s performance and goals, which earned the ex-Arsenal man 70 EuroFantasyLeague points, was more reminiscent of the dangerous attacker of last season than the peripheral figure for most of this. In one match, he more than doubled his tally for the season.

Vela has long been a player who goes against the grain. He has never played professionally in Mexico, moving to Arsenal before making his Chivas bow, was immediately loaned to Celta Vigo to get around work permit requirements for non-EU players, but returned without playing a game. Moves to Salamanca and Osasuna followed for similar reasons, although he did at least take to the field there.

It wasn’t until August 2008 that he debuted for the Gunners, nearly three years after signing for the club. He scored a hat-trick on his first start, in the League Cup against Sheffield United and netted six times in 29 appearances in his first season in the Arsenal first team. But he remained on the fringes, scoring only five goals in the next season-and-a-half and being sent to West Brom.

Vela at least helped Albion remain in the Premier League but two goals and an assist in eight appearances wasn’t particularly impressive. Yet another loan followed, this time to La Real, and it was here where he flourished. 12 goals in 37 games made memorable his first year at Anoeta and, when the transfer became permanent, the goals kept coming – 14 and then 21.

They didn’t lead to a place in Mexico’s 2014 World Cup squad, though, as Vela refused to end his self-imposed exile. He and a teammate had been fined and suspended for unauthorised partying in 2010 and after being criticised for his performance upon his return, stepped away from the international set up. Vela three times declined offers to make a comeback, missing the 2012 Olympics victory, and said he wasn’t ‘mentally ready’ to play for his country.

Vela eventually donned the colours of El Tri in November 2014, around the time Moyes was appointed as Jagoba Arrasate’s successor, and while the new boss worked with some hard-to-handle characters at Everton and United, he also knows how to get the best from them.

Would Vela be great value for your European fantasy football team? Add him now at Eurofantasyleague.com