Sean Dyche sets out on Everton position on Arnaut Danjuma amid loan recall claims

The Blues boss said if Villarreal had any issues over Arnaut Danjuma's minutes ahead of the January transfer window then no-one had told him

Sean Dyche said he was unaware of any concerns from Villarreal about the amount of opportunities being given to Arnaut Danjuma.

Reports surfaced this week that suggested the winger’s parent club had noted his limited minutes and might seek his return during January in order to help their own squad.

Danjuma was a second half substitute in Everton’s Carabao Cup loss to Fulham on Tuesday night but has not started a game since the win over Burnley in the previous round. Dyche said he had not been told of any problems with Danjuma’s minutes - and suggested that, were an issue communicated to him - it would not change his approach to selection.

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Danjuma signed on a season-long loan deal from the La Liga side in the summer as both he and Everton put aside the player’s controversial U-turn in January, in which he opted to move to Tottenham Hotspur when on the cusp of a temporary move to Merseyside.

The loan fee Everton paid for the 26-year-old’s move was the only upfront cash spent by the club in the summer and, with injuries to Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison and Demarai Gray out of favour, he was the only natural first team winger to be involved in the opening day defeat to Fulham.

Goals in the Carabao Cup comeback against Doncaster Rovers and the draw at Sheffield United days later helped launch his Everton career but the return to fitness and subsequent form of McNeil and Harrison has hampered his opportunities. The trip to Bramall Lane was one of three consecutive Premier League matches in which he played 90 minutes but he has been an unused substitute in eight of the past 10 league games - though he did start in the Carabao Cup win over Burnley at the start of November and was then a late substitute on Tuesday.

Speaking at Finch Farm ahead of the trip to Tottenham Hotspur, Dyche said he had not been told that Villarreal had any issue with Danjuma’s gametime and added that his selection process would not be influenced by any pressure from his parent club should that change.

On Danjuma’s current situation, he added: “He continues to train well, he continues to be part of the group, we want him to do so, he came on the other night and I thought he delivered. He has to wait his turn - I think the main wide players, in the sense of Dwight and Jack, have been very good. The balance of the side looks right so you have to keep working hard and waiting for your opportunities to come.”