Arnaut Danjuma may now think he 'needs January move' away from Everton | OneFootball

Everton star Arnaut Danjuma may feel he 'needs a move' after struggling to work his way into the forefront of boss Sean Dyche's plans at Goodison Park, but journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT why the Toffees could opt against ending his loan spell ahead of schedule.

Despite seeing the Dutchman complete a major U-turn and snub a move to Merseyside when he chose to travel to the capital and join Tottenham Hotspur on a temporary basis for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign, the Toffees refused to give up in their pursuit and reopened talks when he returned to parent club Villarreal last summer.

Danjuma's season-long loan move to Everton, which does not include an option to make the switch permanent, was rubber-stamped in July having been earmarked as a priority target after Dyche succeeded in maintaining the club's Premier League status, but he has been starved of regular game time.

Danjuma eager to quit Toffees

Danjuma is keen to cut his Everton loan spell short after becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of opportunities, according to talkSPORT, and Ligue 1 strugglers Lyon are among a number of European sides tracking his situation.

But the report suggests Dyche, who has guided the Toffees to 16 wins from his first 42 matches at the helm, will only allow the winger to walk away from Goodison Park midway through the campaign if a replacement is already lined up.

It is understood that Lyon have set their sights on landing Danjuma as they look to improve their chances of staving off relegation after enduring a season to forget, but they will need to hold negotiations with Villarreal if he heads back to Spain in the coming weeks.

The 26-year-old's £50,000-per-week contract with the La Liga outfit is not due to expire until the summer of 2026, meaning the Yellow Submarine could make the shock decision to integrate him back into their squad instead of sanctioning a quickfire move.

Speculation over Danjuma's future comes after respected reporter Brown recently told GIVEMESPORT that the loanee does not have a long-term future at Everton, while their financial situation means he would need to put in much-improved performances if he wants to convince Dyche to attempt to reach a permanent agreement with Villarreal.

It is understood that Lyon are eager to acquire the former Bournemouth talisman's services in the coming days, having pinpointed the winter window as a potential opportunity to pounce thanks to being out of favour on Merseyside, but discussions have not reached an advanced stage with his parent club.

Paul Brown update - Arnaut Danjuma

Brown believes Danjuma may have set his sights on embarking on a fresh challenge after struggling to make a telling impact in an Everton shirt, resulting in uncertainty over where he will be plying his trade by the time the transfer window slams shut on February 1.

Although the reputable journalist feels the wide-man will not enjoy an increased amount of action if he remains at Goodison Park for the remainder of the campaign, he has hinted that Dyche could opt against sending him back to Villarreal ahead of schedule due to having a threadbare squad.

Lingard could be handed Goodison Park lifeline

Everton are mulling over whether to hand free agent Jesse Lingard the opportunity to reignite his career, according to talkSPORT, with a short-term contract until the end of the season potentially being put on the table.

The report suggests the Toffees have turned their attentions towards the former England international, who has scored 29 goals over the course of 182 Premier League appearances, as they look for cheap options in the transfer market after already being hit with a 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules this season.

Lingard has been without a club since his £200,000-per-week contract with Nottingham Forest expired last summer, meaning he will be short of match sharpness if Everton take the plunge and offer a route back into the top flight.

But the Toffees are facing competition for the creative midfielder as intermediaries have offered him to three Ligue 1 sides, including Lille, as he aims to get his stuttering career back on track during the second half of the campaign.

Although Lingard trained with Saudi Arabian big-spenders Al-Ettifaq for a month during the early stages of the season, he was not handed a contract by boss Steven Gerrard due to his wage demands and it being necessary to release two overseas players already on their books.