The Chelsea loanee struggled to make an impact during a season on loan at Everton.
Even the most toffee-nosed of Evertonians could understand Christian Atsu’s frustrations during an entirely forgettable loan spell at Goodison Park, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
The Ghanaian international, currently enjoying more regular game time during a temporary spell with Newcastle United in the Championship, started just one Premier League match during a whole season on Merseyside in 2014/15.
Overall, he played just 110 minutes of league action with Everton boss Roberto Martinez clearly unconvinced by Atsu’s top flight attributes.
And the Chelsea-owned attacker, who endured a similarly frustrating loan with Bournemouth the season after, has now admitted that he was left more than unhappy with his treatment at Everton.
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“I am enjoying my time here much more than at any of my previous clubs,” Atsu said, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. “I am getting more playing time [at Newcastle], and that makes everything much easier for me.
“I couldn’t play many games at Everton. It was appalling. A very difficult time for me.”
However, it must be pointed out that Atsu did very little in his brief cameos in Everton colours to suggest that he was worth a more regular role in the first-team.
Even in the second tier with Newcastle, the 25-year-old has started just six games all season, with his inconsistency in the final third continuing to undermine his chances of success in the English game.
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After all, Atsu has contributed only one assist in English football: a late equaliser for Romelu Lukaku in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City in March 2015.
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