David Henen spent four years at Everton before leaving them for Charleroi in 2018.
The winger initially joined the Merseyside club on loan from Olympiacos in 2014 and his stay there was made permanent a year later after he managed four goals and two assists for the Toffees’ U21 side.
Henen was released in 2018 without making an appearance for Everton’s first team. He’s been at KV Kortrijk since last January and gave an interview to their official website, where the 26-year-old detailed his career so far.
When discussing the Premier League side, the Belgian admitted he came close to making his first team debut after a loan spell at Fleetwood Town during the 2015/16 season.
“I’ve been abroad too much and too long. Roberto Martinez then came to get me, but just when I got there, he left and Koeman came who opted for the older players,” he said.
“And that’s how it went all my career: whenever a coach saw something in me, he left. It was no different at Kortrijk: I barely played under Belhocine, but Custovic believed in me. Fortunately, Bernd Storck came next, who immediately gave me confidence.”
The English club parted ways with Martínez in 2016 and appointed Ronald Koeman as his successor.
This development impacted Henen’s Everton career and he had to return to Belgium in 2018.
“My mother was very happy when I came to play in Belgium again. It was two good seasons in Charleroi. But the contract extension kept dragging on and that’s why I went to Grenoble [in 2020],” Henen explained.
Henen managed 11 goals and six assists from 55 matches in all competitions for Everton U21s between 2014 and 2018.
