Josh King admits he has a point to prove at Everton
Everton forward Josh King has conceded that he has a point to prove after signing for the club from Bournemouth in the winter transfer window.
The Norway international joined the Toffees on transfer deadline day for a nominal fee, penning a six-month deal at Goodison Park.
With his contract set to expire in the summer, King told Norwegian outlet TV2 that he is hungry to succeed with Everton and achieve his “dream” by qualifying for European football.
He said: “I do not go for the safest opportunity when I sign a six-month contract with Everton. Not everything in the world is about money either. I’m not guaranteed a starting spot, I’m not guaranteed a contract further.
“All the guarantees I can get from Everton are based on what I do on the pitch in the coming months. So I have put pressure on myself, but at the same time I have the confidence to believe that I will be able to do this. I’m still hungry, and I want to convince all those who doubt me. So when I chose Everton, it was a statement to myself.
“I want to show that I’m not done. I have a dream that I will try to achieve. I had the choice of a long-term contract at Fulham, but then I had to fight to avoid relegation with the club. Or I could fight for games in Europe with Everton, which I have dreamed of all my career. So after all, the choice was not really that difficult, but I have a lot to prove in a short time here in Everton towards the summer.”
Transforming hunger into success
It’s certainly a good start for King to lay bare his ambitions as an Everton player, particularly given the brevity of his contract with the club.
The Blues need someone who can support Calvert-Lewin for the remainder of the season and beyond, and they need someone who can prove to be a versatile squad player to improve club depth.
King clearly has the right mentality to deliver on those demands for us, but he will need to work hard in order to impress Ancelotti before the summer window opens.
Thankfully King seems to be fully aware of the limited time that he has to show Everton what he is about, and matched with his hunger to succeed it can only spell positive signs.
Whether King can put that ambition into practice on the pitch is another story entirely, but so long as the motivation is in place, we’ve got off to a good start.
In other Everton news, the Toffees are eyeing a swap deal with Besiktas involving Cenk Tosun for forward Cyle Larin this summer.