Everton loanee and former Aston Villa-linked winger reprimanded ahead of Unai Emery reunion for eight-minute flights to training

Everton winger Arnaut Danjuma has been pulled aside by boss Sean Dyche for his choice of travel to and from training.

Ahead of the Toffees’ home game against Aston Villa on Sunday, Dyche revealed he had words with the on-loan Dutchman after it emerged he flies into Liverpool from Manchester to link up with his team-mates on the training pitch.

With just 33.5 miles separating the airports in both north-west cities, it’s an extraordinary commute and flight time that takes just eight minutes.

Ahead of Villa’s trip to Goodison tomorrow - a near 100-mile journey that would take, on average, 1 hour 47 minutes - Dyche said: ‘Well, I had a word with him. I said it seems excessive to go from Manchester Airport to Liverpool Airport for training.

‘But you know, these modern players... Personally I would use a car but that's the modern players. You know, they need to look after themselves and get their rest.’

Danjuma is currently on loan at Everton from Villarreal. The 26-year-old has made 17 appearances for the Toffees but has found himself playing a bit-part role at Goodison as they battle for Premier League survival following a 10-point deduction. His last top-flight start came against Arsenal on September 17 - just weeks after he was handed his full debut against Villa on August 20. Unai Emery’s side won that day 4-0 as they got their 2023-24 home form off with a bang.

Danjuma has, of course, been linked with a move to Villa Park during the past two transfer windows, with Emery having worked with the former £13.7m Bournemouth players during his spell at the Estadi de la Ceràmica.

Villa currently sit second in the Premier League table and could go level on points with leaders Liverpool with victory at Goodison. The Villans have won on each of their past three visits to Everton.