Steven Pienaar followed his heart back to Everton

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar has revealed that he let his heart rule as he decided to return to Goodison Park.

The 30-year-old re-signed for Everton last week in a £4.5m move from Tottenham Hotspur.

Pienaar said that even a meeting with new Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas could not change his mind about moving back to Merseyside.

The South African told Sky Sports News: "I followed my heart and told myself I'd made up my mind already before I went back to training.

"We sat down, we talked and Villas-Boas asked me how I felt.

"I told him: 'It was just clear before you came that I wanted to move, so nothing will change my mind - I will just be professional and work hard if nothing comes up'. So he understood my situation."

Pienaar begins his third spell with the Toffees against Manchester United on August 20.