Demarai Gray has told EvertonTV how speaking with Rafa Benitez and Marcel Brands helped convince the winger to join Everton from Bayer Leverkusen on a three-year contract.
The former Leicester City talent completed his move to Goodison Park on Thursday, returning to the Premier League after six-months away. Gray had joined Leverkusen in January after sensing he had no future under Brendan Rodgers at the King Power Stadium.
But he struggled to establish himself in the Bundesliga with the 25-year-old scoring once and assisting twice in 10 games. Everton have now triggered a £1.7m release clause in his contract to give Gray another chance in the Premier League.
But Gray had to be convinced by Benitez and Managing Director Brands to join Everton. Only then did he feel completely at one with moving to Goodison Park and their project.
“Speaking to the manager and Marcel Brands, I had a really good feel for the club, and I feel this is a place where I can continue to develop,” Gray said. “The manager, with his ambition and what he has won in the past, is important and we’ll look to push forward and compete with the top clubs.
“I think a club of this magnitude has all the potential to be right up there. Collectively with what Marcel and the manager have said to me, everything fits, including the club’s ambitions and goals.
“Everton are a very big club, and the main objective is to be pushing and competing back up there in the table. I want to work hard on the training pitch and work my hardest for the club on the pitch.”
Gray can deliver game-changing impact at Everton under Benitez
While Gray had an underwhelming spell in Germany, he can offer Everton a game-changing impact under Benitez. The 25-year-old is capable of sharp runs and taking neat touches to bamboozle defenders when he is playing with confidence.
And Benitez and Brands’ comments clearly gave Gray some confidence that he can thrive at Everton. Which will be vitally important after falling from an early high at Leverkusen. After scoring on his debut and penning assists in his second and third games, no more followed.
Goals and assists were also rare at Leicester, with two strikes and three assists during the 2019/20 Premier League campaign. He played 21 times that term, before making just one outing lasting 18 minutes last season. A record he, Benitez and Brands will want to better.
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