Nigerian-born Dutch forward Arnaut Danjuma has completed a move to Premier League side Everton on a one-year loan deal until June 2024.
The 26-year-old moves to Goodison Park from Spanish club Villarreal, returning to the English top flight after spending half of the 2022–23 campaign with Tottenham Hotspur.
Welkom, @danjuma! ???? pic.twitter.com/uN8isnKGnG
— Everton (@Everton) July 23, 2023
Danjuma, who was close to joining the Toffees in the winter window last January but moved to North London, becomes Sean Dyche’s second signing of the season following the capture of veteran footballer Ashley Young.
“It’s amazing to join Everton and I’m really happy to be here,” he told evertontv. “It’s been a long time coming to join such a massive club as Everton and it makes me proud.
“I had interest from other clubs but there was a pull towards Everton because of the fans, the manager and the history of the Club and it’s second time lucky for me.
“I know I did not move to the Club in January, that was because there was some uncertainty over the manager situation at that time, but I think it makes it even more beautiful for me to join now. I am very grateful to be at the Club and I can’t wait to play in front of the fans as well.
“I hope to bring a lot of goals and a lot of assists. The manager has clearly improved the team and there is a process ahead with him in charge that I am very excited to be a part of.
“I am very eager to perform and very determined to contribute to the entire club. There’s no vein in my body that doubts my quality, and I’m very determined to now show that for the Evertonians,” he added.
The Netherlands international signs for his third team in the Premier League after initially playing for AFC Bournemouth from 2019 to 2021, helping the team with 17 goals and eight assists in 52 games. At Spurs, he found it tough to replicate his goalscoring ability or break into the starting fold, managing just two goals in a meagre 12 matches.
With the Yellow Submarines, he was their top scorer on their impressive run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2021–2022, with six goals, including the only goals in the first leg of the quarterfinals against Bayern Munich. He has found the back of the net 22 times and provided four assists in 51 matches for Villarreal across a season and a half.
Danjuma, who made his debut for the Dutch national team in 2018, has only managed six appearances and two goals.
A versatile forward who can play in varying attacking positions, he brings pace, goal scoring, and creativity to an Everton side that lacked all of these attributes last season.
Danjuma will wear the number 10 jersey at Goodison Park, last worn by Anthony Gordon and previously by club legends like Duncan Ferguson, Wayne Rooney, and Mikel Arteta.
