Linked to Southampton early on deadline day, Joshua King then slowly but surely started heading towards Merseyside, as Everton made moves to make room for the Norwegian forward.
Offloading Cenk Tosun to Besiktas, the Toffees made space for a much needed striker they actually wanted to use, and turned their attention to the now former AFC Bournemouth man.
He finally arrived late on deadline day, signing a six month contract that can be extended by an extra year should he perform to Carlo Ancelotti’s standards, and it’s an opportunity the player won’t want to mess up.
Speaking to Dagbladet after the move, King explained why he chose Everton over the likes of Fulham, who also made attempts to sign him.
He said: “It’s about the size of the club, the coach and the signals I got. I’ve wanted to try something new for a whiles and transfers have been stopped twice in the last transfer windows. But this fits nicely, this was a great opportunity and a chance I had to seize”.
King then revealed Ancelotti ‘sees him in his plans’ and then ‘we’ll just see what happens’.
He continued: “It’s a short deal. I’ll just replace Bournemouth with Everton, but it’s fun to be back in the Premier League. I’m looking forward to it. It’s also up to me to prove that I belong to the top level.
“Ancelotti is one of the world’s biggest names in football and he’s a great manager. I think I can grow under him. That was part of the factor, but Everton is a big, big club that I had hoped to be in before I ended up there. And sometimes, things don’t happen when you want them to happen”.
Seeing a move back to Manchester United cut short in the past only for Odion Ighalo to be signed, King revealed his frustrations about his past with Bournemouth, although that’s all behind him now.
He added: “This was an opportunity I could not say no to. I think no players has been more linked to clubs than me in recent months. It’s been frustrating. Friends have called and insisted on where I should go based on rumours.
“I don’t even know where the newspapers get all the nonsense from. It’s been frustrating, but now it’s fun that something has finally gone as I wanted”.
Thanks to @RonnyS0L for the heads up
