Cenk Tosun looking to kick on after Dubai training camp

Cenk Tosun has experienced a rather stop-start beginning to his Everton career. After moving from Besiktas, Cenk started matches against Tottenham Hotspur and West Brom, playing over 60 minutes in both.

Since then, the Turkish international has played just 12 minutes, and those were in mop-up duty during The Emirates Embarrassment. Despite the inconsistency displayed by his coaches, Tosun is encouraged, particularly by Everton’s recent training camp in Dubai:

We didn’t go to Dubai for sun and relaxation. We trained hard, with sessions on the grass followed by gym sessions and then recuperation in the late afternoons. The temperatures were hot and we worked hard each day.

Team-bonding is very important and getting to know your teammates as the people they are, as individuals.

Spending every day around the guys means that we know one another better now. I’ve settled in very well, I really believe that. But the training camp in Dubai was perfect to help me adapt even further to my new surroundings, my new club, a new league. We had a lot of fun along with the serious work and I hope it will help me on the pitch for the next games. I believe it will.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

While it is frustrating that Tosun has not played much since signing, there is at least something to be said for adjusting to the Premier League, and he agrees:

The Premier League is more physical than how the game is played in Turkey, but I like this. I really enjoy the high-tempo of the game here. It’s hard physically, it’s a tough game, but I embrace this. The first few weeks were difficult maybe for my body and the adjustment, but I can feel already that I’m adapting and I’m more comfortable now.

With any luck, Cenk Tosun will come out of Dubai fit and firing. Everton could certainly use the goals - both in the race to finish seventh again and in the seemingly never-ending race to replace Romelu Lukaku.