Jim White told to behave by talkSPORT guest as Everton and Arnaut Danjuma revelations emerge
The agent of Arnuat Danjuma told talkSPORT host Jim White to behave as he revealed details behind Arnaut Danjuma’s move to Everton.
Speaking on the radio station’s Breakfast show, Michael-Moses Jarman discussed the fallout behind the Dutch winger’s controversial decision to snub the Toffees in January and how he eventually joined the club this summer.
As White introduced the topic of the 26-year-old’s loan, the agent jokingly told the presenter to behave himself before going on to detail how difficult the decision was to turn down Everton earlier this year.
“The situation wasn’t great how it ended,” said Jarman. “But we kept conversations very much going, knowing he would probably need another loan if he didn’t get the game time he thought he might get at Spurs.”
After White asked the agent to refresh everyone’s memories about why Danjuma didn’t sign at Goodison Park in January, he said the Toffees were “leading the conversation” right up until Frank Lampard was sacked.
“Then, out of nowhere at the 11th hour, Tottenham called and we made a snapshot decision to change course in terms of the direction of where he went for that period of six months. You make a decision and you understand that Spurs were fourth and they were offering Champions League football. We knew his game time would be reduced.
“But Everton football club is a fantastic football club and it’s easy for me to say that now Danjuma’s there. Special mention to Kevin Thelwell, Dan Purdy and there’s a player liaison called Amy – they’re honestly just nice human beings. And when we decided to make the switch, there was something within me that just didn’t sit right – the fact that you knew you were letting down good, honest people. That was probably the toughest thing for me as an agent.”
Asked by White about whether the forward is comfortable with the reception he could receive at Everton, Jarman said: “He’s a nutcase Danjuma. He was on the bench against Everton and warming up in the corner, a goal went in from Michael Keane in the 86th minute and he called me up and said ‘Mike, it felt like 40,000 people were screaming in my ear, I love it – this is a good club’. He loved it, so second time lucky as he’s been saying.”
Forgive and forget
It’s fascinating to hear from someone that was very much on the inside of the transfer saga what happened to make Danjuma decide to join Spurs after all but signing for Everton in January.
It’s understandable in a way that he was persuaded by the Champions League football on offer, but it’s interesting to hear that he knew his game time was probably going to be reduced.
From Jarman’s comments, though, it’s clear to see that Everton were always in the back of both his and the winger’s minds and that they thought a move to the club could still be an option even when he was at Spurs on loan.
The Dutchman obviously got a feel for the club on a game day when his side played there last season and it sounds as though that was a factor in him wanting to eventually make the move to Goodison Park.
There will understandably still be some Toffees fans that aren’t happy about his antics in January, but he will be wearing a Blues shirt next season, so it’s probably time to forgive, forget and look forward to seeing what he can do on the pitch for the club moving forward.
In other Everton news, Dean Saunders has delivered a damning verdict on the club’s survival hopes next season.