Arnaut Danjuma reveals details of collapsed Everton move last January
Arnaut Danjuma was reluctant to join Everton last summer due to the “situation of the manager”.
As posted on X by Football Daily (29 September), the Goodison Park loanee revealed his hesitation to move to Merseyside amid the overlap between Frank Lampard’s January departure and Sean Dyche’s coming to the club.
The then-25-year-old subsequently moved to Tottenham on loan but is happy with the “beautiful” nature of his eventual move to Everton.
Danjuma said: “Obviously, everyone knew I was close to joining the club the first time. Due to the situation of the manager back then, which was very important for me to join a club because for me it’s very important to know who I’m playing under.
“That time, it wasn’t meant to be, but I think I am second time lucky. It only makes it more beautiful for me now to be joining Everton on the back of what happened in the beginning.
“I’ve been ever so grateful for that as well. They’ve been ever so welcoming and I can only be really grateful and appreciate the chance and opportunity they’ve given me.”
Understandable
Everton were in a bad spot in January last season. Lampard failed to improve the Toffees after Rafa Benitez’s spell, and after a year in charge, he left the club languishing in 19th the day he was sacked [11v11].
Instability is never an attractive prospect for a footballer, especially one in Danjuma’s position who was looking to prove himself as a top forward. While his loan move to Spurs was not riddled with success, Everton’s interest remained and the Nigerian made the loan move to Goodison this summer.
He has not been especially prolific, with just two goals to his name this season in all competitions. His equalising goal against Sheffield United was enough to earn the Toffees’ first point of the season, but the Goodison Park faithful will hope for more from the Villarreal loanee.
Danjuma appears genuinely excited and grateful for the opportunity provided to him by the club. However, the onus is on him now to become a driving force in Everton’s frontline. He was dropped by Dyche for their first Premier League win of the season against Brentford, suggesting perhaps he is no longer in contention to start.
Dyche and the fans will be reluctant to rely too much on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose injury issues can be as unpredictable as they are severe, so Danjuma and Beto will be expected to bring a bit more.
However, his natural quality and previous success suggest he can certainly up his game.
In other Everton news, Andros Townsend has claimed a Toffees mainstay was never injury-prone.