After nearly signing for Everton, Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has instead joined Tottenham on loan until the end of the season.
Danjuma has been linked with a return to the Premier League on numerous occasions since leaving Bournemouth in 2021 with United among the clubs connected to the Netherlands winger.
Speaking about a move back to England last year, Danjuma admitted: "You always have to say yes." After a poor season with Villarreal, Danjuma has got his wish - albeit on a temporary basis for now.
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Danjuma hasn't always struggled in Spain. His goals and attacking threat were one of the key reasons that Villarreal unexpectedly reached the Champions League semi-finals under Unai Emery in the 2021/22 campaign.
The 25-year-old will provide a much-needed rotation option for Heung Min-Son at Tottenham who has been struggling this season. It's a deal that United should have potentially been considering given their financial restrictions and their existing interest in the player after his performances against the club in the past.
On the road to the semi-finals last term, Villarreal faced United in the group stages. The defender tasked with keeping him at bay was Diogo Dalot and unfortunately, struggled against the attacker.
Danjuma turned Dalot inside out with his dribbling ability and left him for dead on multiple occasions. It led to Villarreal's opener in the game at Old Trafford, but United were able to turn things around to win 2-1.
Dalot has come on leaps and bounds under Erik ten Hag, especially defensively. His position awareness and tackling have both improved and also how he covers the back post, as fans were able to see against West Ham.
With this improved defensive arsenal, Dalot will be ready for 'round two' against Danjuma and barring more injury problems, the Portuguese full-back will get his chance on April 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
United are currently three points clear of Spurs with a game in hand but the fixture could be important in deciding whether Ten Hag achieves his goal of finishing in a Champions League qualification spot.
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