Everton and Crystal Palace have been handed a boost in their attempts to bring Arnaut Danjuma back to the Premier League after the Villarreal forward’s forgettable loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur.
In the end, the Dutch international must have wondered why he had bothered.
Arnaut Danjuma backed out of a move to Everton during the January transfer window in favour of joining Tottenham at the eleventh hour, but it became clear almost immediately that Antonio Conte did not share in the enthusiasm of his dramatic his mid-season arrival.
Danjuma made only one Premier League start for Spurs. And that came after Conte had been shown the door in the spring.
Tottenham flop Arnaut Danjuma could finally join Everton
Everton, however, are in no real position to hold grudges. Such is their desperation to bring a goalscorer to Goodison, TEAMtalk reports that the Toffees are rolling back the clock and re-opening talks with the former Bournemouth talisman, in the knowledge that Villarreal are unlikely to stand in his way.
There is also interest from Crystal Palace (The Sun).
And while a return to his native Netherlands may also have appealed – Eredivisie winners Feyenoord can also offer Champions League football – the size of Danjuma’s wages make a move to De Kuip something of a non-starter.
“Danjuma is too expensive,” Feyenoord repoter Martijn Krabbendam tells Voetbal International.
“(The situation is) very simple. He is under contract with Villarreal, and Feyenoord can loan him. But the boy also has to earn a salary, and Feyenoord thinks that is just too much.
“Of course, Feyenoord think Danjuma is a good player. Who doesn’t? And, of course, (head coach) Arne Slot will want him.
“But it’s not possible.”
Danjuma, then, may find himself having to choose between a Crystal Palace side who’s decision to reappoint a 75-year-old Roy Hodgson has left many supporters severely underwhelmed, or an Everton side who have dodged relegation by the skin of teeth in both of the last two seasons.
Danjuma joined Villarreal for £22 million back in 2021. The versatile forward scored 17 goals during an outstanding debut season under Unai Emery, hitting the target against Atalanta, Juventus and Bayern Munich as Villarreal stormed to the Champions League semi-finals against all odds.
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