Sean Dyche is looking to bolster his attacking options at Everton ahead of next season, as the former Burnley manager doesn’t want another nerve-shredding campaign like the previous two that the Goodison Park faithful have had to endure.
With this in mind, the 52-year-old is keen on signing Villarreal star Arnaut Danjuma during the summer transfer window.
Who is interested in Arnaut Danjuma?
According to The Athletic, the Goodison Park side are looking to secure the Dutchman on a loan deal ahead of the 2023/24 season as Dyche looks to strengthen.
The £52k-per-week winger is attracting plenty of interest from elsewhere however, with Fabrizio Romano providing a further update.
He tweeted: “AC Milan have entered the race for Danjuma. He's in the list while Feyenoord and Everton are also in discussion with the player.
“Understand has met with Sean Dyche and Arne Slot whilst Milan speaks with his agents. Big days for Danjuma, decision expected soon.”
New signings on the flanks appear to be high on the agenda for Dyche and co at present, with the club also said to be in talks regarding a move for Manchester United's Anthony Elanga.
Will Everton sign Arnaut Danjuma?
The Toffees have lost a few attacking players recently, with Moise Kean, Andros Townsend and Ellis Simms all leaving Merseyside, while winger Demarai Gray is also attracting interest from elsewhere, Dyche could find himself extremely short of attacking options with just a few weeks to go before the start of the Premier League season.
Danjuma already has some experience in the English top flight, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, yet he failed to truly display his talents, registering only two goals from 11 appearances, although he only started one game for the club – not really getting an opportunity under Antonio Conte.
During the 2021/22 season however, he shone both in La Liga and in the Champions League, scoring ten and six goals respectively for Villarreal and although his scoring rate dipped last term, he could be an upgrade on Gray, especially if he does move on from Everton this summer.
Indeed, last season, Danjuma registered more shots per 90 (2.36 to 2.05), succeeded with a higher percentage of successful take ons (42.9% to 35.9%) and had more shots on target per 90 (0.97 to 0.79) than Gray, scoring only three times fewer domestically than the Jamaican international.
This is despite enduring a poor season compared to the heights he hit during 2021/22 for the Spanish side and during that campaign, he registered more goals than Gray (ten to five) and succeeded with a higher percentage of successful dribbles (54% to 52%), suggesting that if Dyche could get him back to his best, there is no doubt he could pose a greater danger in the final third than the current Everton winger.
There would no doubt be a great deal of excitement if the Merseysiders were able to snap up Danjuma alongside the aforementioned Elanga, with the £10m-rated speedster also able to help offer increased quality on the flanks.
Despite having provided just two assists in 26 games in all competitions for the Red Devils last term, the 21-year-old does boast the experience of having netted away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League back in 2022, having previously been branded "amazing" by pundit Paul Robinson.
A player comfortable playing on either wing, the promising Sweden international – who has eight goals and assists to his name in 55 outings for the Old Trafford outfit – could dovetail nicely with Danjuma on the opposite side, ensuring that the likes of Gray could be swiftly forgotten about.
Once lauded as a “nightmare for defenders” by Kevin Phillips, the Villarreal ace could be a shrewd signing for the Toffees, especially on a temporary deal and if given the time to get back to his best, he could well be terrorising defenders in the league before long.
