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After being spurned in January by Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma, Everton are now close to giving the Netherlands international a chance to make amends this summer.
Reports from earlier this week indicated that the player would undergo his medical with the Toffees on Saturday, and that is now being confirmed by multiple media sources.
Medical successfully completed today for Danjuma as new Everton player
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2023
Loan deal will be official in the next days, done and sealed. https://t.co/gfO43EVLq6
During the winter transfer window the Blues had gotten all the formalities out of the way including media responsibilities, with only a hold-up in signing documentation left before the signing could be announced. However, Danjuma left Finch Farm and wasn’t to return again as Tottenham Hotspur hijacked the loan deal with a bid of their own.
The 26-year-old would go on to endure a difficult time in North London as Spurs struggled with consistency across three managers and played less than 200 minutes in 12 appearances across all competitions, scoring twice.
With Everton suffering from an extended bout of shyness in front of goal following the departures of Richarlison and Anthony Gordon, coupled with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury woes and Neal Maupay’s inability to hit the target, getting forward help was always going to be a priority this summer.
The Toffees’ problems have been compounded by their inability to spend money during recent transfer markets thanks to years of financial mismanagement and paying out overinflated wages. This has meant the Blues will only be able to splash the cash if they sell a couple of assets this summer, and can only otherwise add to the squad with shrewd free agent additions and loan acquisitions.
Danjuma will be joining on loan until the end of the season, with the Blues paying his wages for the campaign along with a loan fee of £3.5M. Villarreal and Everton came to this agreement so that there would be no mandatory purchase clause added to the loan deal as the two sides were far apart on their valuations of the player’s worth.
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The right-footed player will bring versatility across the forward line to Sean Dyche’s side, being capable of playing as an inverted winger on the left, an out-and-out wide man on the right, and a centreforward as well.
Born in Nigeria, Danjuma is eligible to represent Holland in international competition thanks to his Dutch father. He made his Oranje debut in 2018 before being recalled to the side three years later. Coming through the PSV Eindhoven youth system he has played for Brugges, AFC Bournemouth, Villarreal and now Tottenham in his career.
The forward was reportedly being pursued by AC Milan as well this summer, but rumours indicated that the Italian side balked at the loan fee being asked and chose to sign his Yellow Submarines teammate (and another Everton target) Samu Chukwueze instead.
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