Arnaut Danjuma only joined Villarreal last year, but the reported Liverpool and Newcastle United transfer target is now their all-time joint-top goalscorer in the Champions League.
The Submarino Amarillo progressed through to the quarter-final on Wednesday night after beating Juventus 3-0 to win 4-1 on aggregate. Danjuma hit the final nail in the Bianconeri’s coffin in stoppage-time from the penalty spot after Gerard Moreno and Pau Torres scored.
Danjuma now has five goals in just eight Champions League appearances after four efforts in the group stage. He scored three across both meetings with Atalanta, including two in Lombardy. The Dutchman also capped a 2-0 win at home to BSC Young Boys in November.
Hitting home from 12-yards out against Juventus also saw Danjuma match Giuseppe Rossi as Villarreal’s all-time joint-top Champions League goalscorer. Per UEFA, the Italian had hit home five times in 11 appearances during the one-time Newcastle loanee’s six-year stay.
Rossi edged Joseba Llorente (4), Marcos Senna (3) and Uruguay icon Diego Forlan (3) in the Submarino Amarillo’s goal chart. Danjuma has now joined him with five, just seven months on from joining the La Liga club from Championship side Bournemouth in a £21m transfer.
Liverpool, Newcastle target Danjuma now Villarreal’s all-time joint-top UCL scorer
Danjuma has proven a sensation at the Estadio de la Ceramica, having struck 13 goals and four assists in total. His eight Spanish top-flight and five Champions League goals have also come from central and wide-left positions, having offered Unai Emery a dynamic threat.
Newcastle have taken a shine to Danjuma following his strong first season with Villarreal, with Calciomercato citing him as a possible transfer target for the St James’ Park side. The Athletic also note Liverpool continue to track the 25-year-old, having missed out last year.
Liverpool considered a transfer for Danjuma before Bournemouth sold the five-cap Dutch dynamo to Villarreal, per Marca. They may now face paying three-times as much, as The Athletic add his contract running to 2026 includes a release clause worth €75m (£62.5m).
The Estadio de la Ceramica natives will be loath to accept anything less, given his form in Spain. While also shining against English opposition, having thrilled Michael Owen against Manchester United despite the Submarino Amarillo losing at Old Trafford in November.
“He was absolutely exceptional [at Old Trafford],” Owen said on BT Sport. “He plays on that left side and he’s very direct, he can beat players, he can score goals and he comes in and he’s an attacking player, and he gave that Manchester United defence a real scare.”
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