Lookman receives vote of confidence from Silva

All summer long it looked like Ademola Lookman wanted to leave Everton with RB Leipzig making multiple advances for the player. However, the transfer deadline came and went and the stance of Marcel Brands and Marco Silva remained unchanged - Lookman was part of Everton’s future and the club would not let him go short of an exorbitant offer being made for him.

The youngster made his first competitive appearance at Goodison Park as a late substitute in the draw against Huddersfield Town as a late substitute, and Silva was asked during his pre-match press conference earlier today about the reception the winger received.

Sky Sports reporter Vinny O’Connor:

“When Theo Walcott got injured against Huddersfield it provided Ademola Lookman the opportunity to come on. He seemed to get a mixed reception from the fans after what had gone on through the summer. What do you expect from Ademola at the moment, and just how difficult a situation is that for him to deal with, and what advice can you give him?”

Silva for his part did not quite agree with the journalist’s take:

“What I felt was a big reception for him from the fans, I didn’t feel it was mixed at all. If it’s happened it’s a normal situation.

“What I expect, not for just Ademola but all of our players, is a big commitment every day after they pass that gate to come in, to work every day, it’s an obligation. There’s a big commitment to the club, with our fans, with this job.

“He is happy. The market is not just for him. He had one club with a big interest in him, but it’s done, the market is done and now he needs to keep focused in his job and the club is supporting him and we are expecting him to give 100% every day.”

There was a justifiable sense of bemusement about Silva when asked by the reporter about Lookman’s ‘mixed reception’. Not only because he must be exhausted of answering questions about the winger by now but, at least from my vantage point in the stands at Goodison Park, this simply was not the case.

Many supporters will have understandably seen their confidence and support in Lookman wane after his summer-long saga linking him with a return to RB Leipzig, where he excelled on loan last season. But from my own personal experience, there was not even the slightest modicum of animosity directed the 20-year-old’s way that day.

While Everton fans can tend to turn on ex-players – messrs Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku will attest to this – Lookman remains very much a part of the Blues’ squad, and until the day he leaves, any decent Evertonian will back him to the hilt, as they did when he came off the bench against the Terriers.