90min

Davy Klaassen Wants Everton Stay as Dutchman Is Eager to Prove His Worth in the Premier League

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Everton's misfit midfielder Davy Klaassen has vowed to stay and compete for a first-team spot next season, following a disappointing first campaign on Merseyside.

Klaassen arrived for a princely sum of £23.5m as part of the huge summer investment following the £75m sale of star striker Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.

The Dutchman was expected to have a big impact on the ​Premier League after impressing in his native country with Ajax. Several of Everton’s rivals were tracking the creative midfield player who had drawn comparisons to Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen.

It was an overall poor season for Everton though, who had hoped to challenge for European places following a near £140m outlay. A top-heavy transfer strategy left the Toffees with an unbalanced squad that was under threat of relegation before the arrival of Sam Allardyce.

Klaassen made just 13 appearances in the ill-fated campaign, making little impact on the first team squad as Allardyce eventually guided them to an eighth-placed finish. Klaassen had been competing for places with fellow summer arrivals the £45m Gylfi Sigurdsson and local favourite Wayne Rooney.

It has meant Klaassen has had to settle for a cameo role but with Rooney seemingly departing for the MLS and Allardyce being relieved of his duties, Klaassen has now vowed to stay in hopes of impressing the new manager and earning his spot in the first team.

As quoted by ​Liverpool Echo, Klaassen said: "My overall experience at Everton has been good. The club is excellent and the people are very nice, it is an ambitious club and I 100% enjoy being here.

"I feel at home and am determined to play more for the team. We have a vacation now and I will relax for a couple of weeks but then start training to come back in top condition.

“That is my goal and everybody's goal, so there is going to be good competition for places. You have to be ready as soon as you are needed. It is hard to be patient but if you keep working it will come. You have to work hard and try to show yourself when you get a chance."

Klaassen’s Netherlands won’t be represented at the upcoming World Cup, so the Dutchman will have the opportunity to impress the new manager with an earlier return to training than some. Everton hope to unveil former ​Watford and ​Hull City boss Marco Silva later this week.