Cenk Tosun says he never had any intention of joining Crystal Palace permanently despite last season’s loan deal including the option for the Eagles to buy him. The Turkey striker is fit again after the serious knee injury which cut his spell at Selhurst Park short and he is determined to prove himself under Carlo Ancelotti. Everton were prepared to sell Tosun, however, and agreed a deal with Palace which gave them the option to buy him for £20m. Tosun, however, insists leaving Everton permanently was never on his mind, telling the club website today he went to Palace with the hope of playing again for Blues.
Cenk Tosun said “getting some minutes, getting some confidence and coming back stronger to Everton for this season was always the aim. It will be a really big opportunity for me, Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] and Richarlison are doing really well. But they are not robots, they can’t play every game. I feel like a new transfer for Everton. All the things I have done wrong, I will not do them again. I am different now. I train and prepare better to help the team more. I have to be fit and, when I get the chance, I have to use that chance, to be there to score and help the team. That is how I am preparing for the next games. I want to thank everyone at the club, Mr Moshiri, Marcel [Brands, Director of Football], Carl [Howarth], Danny [Donachie], everyone. I was still at Crystal Palace [at the time of the injury] but Everton took care of me like a member of their family. They helped me so much. And they are calling me every day during the international break to see how I feel, how training was, how my knee is – they have helped me so much. Now, I hope, when I am fully back, I will play for longer periods and help the team more.”