There is a famous saying in football that goes: ”Never fall in love with a loan player”. I guess it should be equally unadvisable to become attached to the loaned club as well.
Something similar happened with the Dutch winger- Arnaut Danjuma. It’s been almost half a year since the player left Tottenham, but it seems that he is yet to move on.
Danjuma joined Everton on a season-long loan from Villarreal this summer. However, prior to that, the player was loaned out to Tottenham by the La Liga side during the January winter transfer window for a six-month period.
Despite playing regularly in the blue shirt for the last couple of months, it seems that Danjuma has reserved a special place in his heart for the Lilywhite kit.
A photo circulated widely for a couple of days, featuring the winger during his private training session on the football turf with Tom Owens, a renowned private trainer based in the UK.
What was odd in that photo was that Danjuma was not captured training in his Everton kit, his Villarreal kit, or even his Dutch national training gear.
Instead, the winger was seen in the Tottenham training kit—the club where he spent just a couple of months. This is the very same Tottenham training kit that was featured in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
While the simple explanation would have been that he used his older kit during training, the incident couldn’t help but spark intrigue.
Why would he use the Tottenham kit while being under contract with a rival league club? Is the winger unhappy at Everton, or did the 10-point reduction play a role in his mindset change? Is the player asking for a return? Or was it merely a harmless training session oversight?
If the comments sections are to be believed, the feeling of admiration is mutual. Tottenham supporters have taken to social media to comment on the photo, showcasing their love for the loan player and remembrance.
Some have even pointed out that the winger was highly underutilized during his time at the Cockerel club and probably wasn’t given a fair opportunity. They went on to blame Tottenham’s then manager, Antonio Conte, and his strategic plans for the same.
Conte is a crime warlord, Sonny was injured and we brought Danjuma who was more than fit to cover for him, yet he wasn't played for some reason
— HK47 (@adrisakthfc) December 21, 2023
In reality, Danjuma struggled for opportunities at Tottenham.
Despite some fans calling for him to play more, he never played more than 32 minutes in any appearance and only started one game. Some say he showed glimpses of his ability, but it wasn’t enough to make him a regular contributor.
He clearly wasn’t a good fit in the tactical strategies for Conte, but would the situation have been completely different under the current manager, Ange Postecoglou? The fans certainly think so.
would have done so well with Ange, been saying this forever
— MjLryu (@lllryuennn) December 21, 2023
honestly think he will cook under ange
— Azira (@mariankazr) December 21, 2023
It’s all ifs and buts now. But apparently, the Tottenham board shared the same opinion as Conte. They refused to trigger the £27 million buy option for the 26-year-old even after promising glimpses. Perhaps, it was to pave the way for names like Maddison or Kulusevski in their squad.
For Everton fans, however, the incident might raise a flicker of concern. While Danjuma’s commitment to the Toffees shouldn’t be questioned based on a single photo, it surely wouldn’t sit well among the Toffees’ supporters. It could be tagged as a bit unprofessional on the player’s part.
But it serves as a reminder of the human element behind even the most high-profile transfers. Somewhere in the whirlwind of money and tactics, we forget that players are still individuals with their own opinions and emotions.
The sensible thing here for Danjuma and Tottenham fans is to accept the reality and move on. Sean Dyche has trusted his abilities and the winger has already registered 13 games for the Toffees, scoring twice.
On the flip side, Tottenham is in a good spirited form under Postecoglou and is edging slowly towards the top 4. It’s a win-win for both parties alike. Now will this chapter reopen again somewhere in the future? Danjuma would clearly long for it.
