Homelessness as a drive: Danjuma's special way on Klopp's wish list

Julian Nagelsmann had actually been raised on the general strengths of FC Villarreal the day before the quarter-final first leg. But the Bayern coach started directly to a praise, a praise for Arnaut Danjuma. "He is a very dangerous striker who can tip out again and again on the left wing. Since a bit parked and waiting for the switching situations. He has a good pace, good movements and is comparable to a top European top top player. I'm not saying the name now, but you will get on it yourself if you watch it a little. "

• football as "a kind of refuge for me"
• at the Champions League debut the best against BVB
• Emery works his dream player around
• Winter World Cup as a big goal - Henkelpott in the back of the head

It was most likely to mean Sadio Mané. In his footsteps, Danjuma could occur at Liverpool FC in a short to medium-term future. According to information from "The Athletic", the Reds are said to have extended their feelers after the Dutch international in winter. The contract until 2026 and the exit clause anchored in it in the amount of 75 million euros may have put off those responsible for the LFC - at least for now. Especially since Mané still has a contract until 2023.

football as "a kind of refuge for me"

Until the day on which even coaches like Nagelsmann or Jürgen Klopp had on the piece of paper, it was an arduous way. It is not about full daily plans in the NLZ or missed parties. Danjuma had to deal with topics such as homelessness and foster family very early in his life.

Danjuma is four years old when the family leaves the Nigerian Lagos to look for a better life in the Dutch industrial city of Oss. A few months later, however, the parents divorce. The three children stay with the Nigerian mother Hauwa, who desperately searches for work and accommodation. Sometimes the family sleeps with friends, sometimes in the car. A time that Danjuma, according to his own statement, shapes, shapes, shapes and about which he even says today that he is "grateful" for her.

"I started football at the age of four. So I was kept away from problems and could enjoy life. It was a kind of refuge for me," Danjuma recalls two and a half years ago in an interview on the club website of the AFC Bournemouth. Until he comes to the south coast of England, other stones should be put in his way.

Danjuma and his siblings are given to foster families, but that of the enthusiastic footballer cannot do little with the number one popular sport. Fortunately, the Dutch father Cees believes in his offspring, drives him to club training and picks him up again from there.

Danjuma is eleven years old when a court decision enables him to leave the foster family and live with his father. The talent quickly changes to the PSV Eindhoven youth academy, but in which he sees himself only to a limited extent with progressing age. During his opinion, weaker teammates can show the first professional contracts, "thick cars and large houses", Danjuma is treated "unfair" and is still going to train by train.

The situation frustrated the 1.77 meter tall offensive player. In Eindhoven he was simply operated "too much politics". Danjuma decides for a step back and switched to league competitor NEC Nijmegen in summer 2016.

The first year runs not only for the striker (a goal on twelve missions). Nijmegen descends. In the Dutch lower house, Danjuma turns open in the 2017/18 season and really boosted his career with 28 scorer points from 28 games. In summer 2018, Bruges strikes directly for just under three million euros.

at the Champions League debut the best against BVB

In Belgium, Danjuma celebrates his Champions League debut against BVB. In the 0-1 home defeat, the wing speedster still gets the best Champions note (2.5) from Brügges players. This is followed by the debuts in the Dutch U-21 and A national team.

In the 3-0 against Germany, Danjuma collected first minutes in mid -October 2018, three days later he shoots his first goal in 1-1 against Belgium. Danjuma stays in the fast lane and, in turn, changes to Premier League club Bournemouth just a year later for over 15 million euros. As in Nijmegen, the crash into the second class is needed there to start fully: 22 direct goal participations in 33 championship appearances make international scouts listen.

I'm used to the Champions League, not the championship.

Arnaut Danjuma

A trump card Danjuma, which many companions emphasize, is the enormous self -confidence, belief in one's own strength. Before he climbed to Villarreal Champions League record goal scorer, he said as a Bournemouth professional of the "Times": "If I really should be completely honest: I would never have expected to play in my career in the championship. I'm Get used to the Champions League, not the championship. "

Emery works his dream player around

The achievements in England's second division convinced Villarreal, an actually modest economy of Spain, in such a way that the yellow submarine transferred a new record amount to Bournemouth last summer with just under 25 million euros.

Unai Emery, whose detailed obsession Danjuma estimates Danjuma, worked gradually his declared player. Even if the dribble king feels more comfortable on the wing, his Basque coach made him more and more a executor in a significantly more central position.

With success: Danjuma, who has a standstill in his development as a person and as a footballer, has scored ten goals in 23 league games so far and recently decided the derby against Valencia with a double pack (2-0). In the Champions League, the quota is even better, one day after Nagelsmann's praise, Danjuma decided the quarter-final first leg with its sixth goal in the premier class.

I try to win games before I play them.

Arnaut Danjuma

Together with Villarreal analyst Antonio Rodriguez, Danjuma is working meticulously to make his success even more predictable. "Every day we sit together for half an hour and take a look at game scenes. That helps me to get a better feeling for the individual situations, to train my instincts. I try to win games before I play them," admitted Danjuma in an interview With "El Pais".

Winter World Cup as a big goal - Henkelpott in the back of the head

The fact that it takes almost three years to the day before Danjuma is allowed to play his third A-international game for Oranje only spurs him on. He describes the Winter World Cup in Qatar as one of his "biggest goals" for 2022.

Before that, however, Danjuma would not mind holding the Henkelpott in his hands, as he confidently announced in an interview with the "Marca": "The winning of the Champions League is of course the goal, so I would never say that it is impossible itself If we are outsiders. I want to achieve bigger and bigger things. " On the side of Jürgen Klopp, the probability of this would continue to increase in the medium term.