Joshua King slams Carlo Ancelotti over his Everton treatment
Everton forward Joshua King has launched a stinging attack on Carlo Ancelotti for breaking promises during the 2020/21 campaign.
The Italian tactician swapped Merseyside for Madrid at the start of June, and Norwegian international King is set to join him out of the Blues exit door, with his short-term deal set to expire on Wednesday (June 30).
But, before exiting the club, the 29-year-old expressed his dismay at the treatment he suffered at the hands of Ancelotti.
“I do not regret that I went to Everton,” King told Norwegian news outlet Dagbladet.
“I did not get the chance, not a single start. Had I got a start and not performed, I would have understood it.
“I had another offer that gave much more security, but was told that I would get to play and that I would get the chance at Everton. But it was not delivered, so then I feel that was not the intention.
“Do not trust coaches who promise you things and say you will get the chance, that you will start.
“I went and talked to Ancelotti, but what we talked about in that room, stays in that room.
“He lied to me, but again there are not many honest people who work in football. I had no relationship with Ancelotti.”
Peculiar absences
King was brought in from Bournemouth during the winter transfer window to provide another attacking outlet to a team that was short on options in that area.
Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were the only attackers who could lay claim to being relatively consistent and injury-free, with the likes of James Rodriguez, Alex Iwobi and Bernard struggling for form and fitness.
With 48 Premier League goals to his name, and with the ability to play across the forward line, King appeared to be the ideal short-term solution to our attacking woes.
However, he played just 11 times and failed to make a single start for the Blues as we laboured to a dismal end to our 2020/21 campaign, winning just three of our last 13 games.
His last appearance came in a 1-0 win at West Ham on May 9, a game in which he impressed during his fleeting appearances, having a goalbound effort controversially blocked on the line with what appeared to be a West Ham hand.
King was not used for the final four fixtures of the campaign, in what appeared to be a strange decision by Ancelotti.
Given he had other options before joining the Blues, it’s no wonder that King has expressed his fury at how he was treated by Ancelotti.
He deserved more.
In other Everton news, Neville Southall has slammed an ‘Incredible witch hunt’ against this Blues star.
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