Sam Allardyce questions Davy Klaassen motives after Everton misfit's Napoli deal fell through
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Sam Allardyce will welcome Davy Klaassen back into the Everton first team squad – despite his frustration at the midfielder's refusal to move on loan.
The Holland international was offered the chance of a glamorous switch to Napoli on the final day of the window, with the promise of Serie A game time until the end of the season.
But negotiations collapsed because of an apparent dispute over image rights, with the player's agent pulling the plug on the deal, and the Blues boss admitted he couldn't believe Klaassen didn't want to play more games.
“Thats the power of the player with the agent, really, there's nothing else we can do about that,” he said.
(Image: 2017 Getty Images)
“If I'm sat in that position and have an agent, the agent works for me, not the other way round. So for me it would never have been a financial decision. Even if I was losing money I'd be going, but that's me – because I'd want to play football.
“Davy wants to play football, but whether he got the full story I don't know, because I wasn't involved with it.”
Allardyce has not selected the Dutch attacker for a Premier League game since he arrived at Goodison, and recently, he has not even been on the bench.
Klaassen last played for Everton in the Europa League on December 7, and has made just four Premier League appearances since his £25m move last summer.
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
But the Everton manager will now hold out an olive branch to the 24 year old, but putting him back in the training squad for this weekend's visit to Arsenal.
Asked if the midfielder would now be forced to train away from the first team, he said: “No, I don't think so. (He'll be with first team squad) because Davy Klaassen doesn't give you the sort of problems some players do when they're not involved.
“He's a super professional and a super lad, and he comes in and tries his best in training on every occasion.”
(Image: AFP/Getty)
But the Blues boss did admit to some frustration – and no little confusion – to the reasons behind the collapse of the loan to Napoli.
Allardyce rates the player's ability, and wanted Klaassen to go away and get games, and come back to Everton fitter and stronger in the summer and more able to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League.
“I just think the opportunity for him to go out on loan was missed by everybody that wanted a player of his calibre. But didn't happen.
“I don't know the exact reason why it didn't happen. I am not actually sure of the full detail of it, but it didn't seem the normal sort of problem to stop a transfer going through. But obviously that happened and he's still here.”
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Asked if the problem was image rights, he added: “Apparently something like that. Apparently that's the norm at that club (Napoli), whatever they do as a football club that their image rights are, I don't know the technical details, but whether their image rights are not validated or taken are over by club, I don't know.
“I wasn't involved in the negotiation because I was too busy with my players getting ready for the game. So you'd have to speak to his agent really, and find out why it didn't happen, because I'm not sure as a football club we know.
“It was all down to agent and Napoli really, that was the bottom line, it was nothing to do with us.”