“The boys a bit special” – Steven Pienaar

FanCast columnist and resident talent spotter Charlie Gilbert has stopped scouring the lower leagues and moved his attention to the Premiership in finding the best young talent. This week, the focus of attention is Everton's sensation Steven Pienaar and it is clear "the boy is a bit special".

He's only little, but Everton's South African midfielder Steven Pienaar has made a big impression following his year-long loan move to Goodison Park.

Admittedly, Pienaar isn't the youngest of the Premiership's emerging talents. At 25, he's fast approaching his peak after a successful five years at Ajax and a rather unhappier season at Borussia Dortmund.

Pienaar's spell in Holland saw him emerge as one of South Africa's brightest footballing talents. He slotted into a free-flowing attacking team alongside the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andy van der Meyde, and gained valuable Champions League experience along the way.

The left sided midfielder switched to Dortmund in January 2006 as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Tomas Rosicky. Pienaar didn't enjoy the same degree of success in Germany – he insisted that he was never popular among his team mates, and this inevitably affected his performances.

Enter David Moyes. The Everton manager saw enough talent in the South African to bring him to Merseyside in time for the start of the season, albeit on a year's loan deal. He's become an integral part of the Everton line-up during the campaign, and his on-field presence has coincided with the Toffees' best spell in a decade.

Pienaar has flourished under the togetherness forged by Moyes, something the midfielder was never able to do during his spell with Dortmund. As a consequence, he'll almost certainly secure a permanent move to Everton come the summer. His intelligent displays have really caught the eyes of the Toffees' faithful – as has his interplay with the underrated Mikel Arteta.

Leon Osman and Tim Cahill, Pienaar's other midfield colleagues, are pretty small too – earning the quartet the nickname ‘Midget Gems'. What they lack in height they more than make for in ability. Pienaar, in particular, is a dynamic and skilful player, and his left foot has given Everton a more balanced look this season.

The Toffees will miss the services of Pienaar for several weeks once the African Cup of Nations gets underway. The South African's departure comes at a critical time both for himself and Everton, particularly as the South African is still working to ensure that permanent contract.

Things haven't run perfectly smoothly for Pienaar since his summer switch to Goodison. He gifted Manchester United a penalty in Everton's recent contest at Old Trafford after tripping Ryan Giggs two minutes from time – ending the club's 13-match unbeaten run. David Moyes called it "a moment of madness". That it was, but the boss's opinion of Pienaar shouldn't lessen – such has been the quality of the midfielder's performances over recent months.

The player renowned for his extremely short socks in Pro Evo should go far. He's at the right club – Everton have helped Pienaar rediscover his confidence and conviction. Still relatively early in his Premiership career, the bright light of South African football should go far.

Listen to the Everton podcast and let us know your thoughts