Transfer Centre

Everton to make Arnaut Danjuma move after last-minute January snub?

By Andrew Delaney, Reporter | 01 July 2023

Everton to make Danjuma move after last-minute January snub?

Everton are reportedly set to make another approach for Arnaut Danjuma just months after the Villarreal winger snubbed a move to the club to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Everton have reportedly shown interest in Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma just five months after the Dutchman snubbed the Toffees to move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Danjuma had passed his medical on Merseyside and the club were ready to welcome him to training, before the 26-year-old suddenly turned his back on the club and decided to drive down to London to complete a move to Spurs.

The loanee would go on to have limited impact in North London, making only one start for the club in a 3-1 home defeat to Brentford.

Danjuma was set to become Everton's first and only signing of the winter window, but after he abandoned the deal, Everton brought in no reinforcements for the recently-appointed Sean Dyche, who still managed to guide the club to Premier League safety on the final day.

Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure celebrates scoring their first goal with Conor Coady, Demarai Gray and Alex Iwobi on May 28, 2023 © Reuters

However, the Daily Mail claims that Everton are prepared to make another move for the former Bournemouth man, stating that there is no bad blood between the two parties, despite the events in January.

Villarreal signed Danjuma for £21.3m from the Cherries in 2021, but are looking to move him on permanently even though Everton's interest is to bring the player in on loan.

With Everton still hamstrung from Financial Fair Play restraints, sales will need to be made before they can spend any substantial fees this summer.

Therefore, Football Insider claims that the club are willing to listen to offers for both Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms.

Everton's Ellis Simms celebrates scoring their second goal with Dwight McNeil on March 30, 2023 © Reuters

A £4m bid from Ipswich Town for Simms has already been rejected by the Toffees, while Sunderland are also said to be interested after his impressive six-month loan spell with the Black Cats last season where he netted seven goals in 17 games.

Simms has just one year left on his contract at Goodison Park and struggled to get much game time under Dyche, despite an impressive cameo at Stamford Bridge which saw him score a 90th-minute equaliser against Chelsea.

Maupay endured similar struggles, scoring just one goal all season, failing to fill the boots of the frequently-injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The report claims that Maupay is attracting interest from clubs in his native France, and Italy, but Everton are unlikely to recoup much of the £15m they spent to acquire the striker from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer.