Gueye eager to excite Everton fans

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye has backed himself to impress Toffees fans even more next season.

The Senegalese international was one of Everton’s star players during the 2016-17 campaign, having joined only a week before the close of the transfer window from Aston Villa last August.

Despite his limited pre-season preparation, the midfielder featured 35 times in Ronald Koeman’s side and was a close contender for both the Everton Player and Players’ Player of the Season accolades, narrowly missing out in both categories to Romelu Lukaku.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

And Gueye is confident that with rest and recuperation this time around, plus a full pre-season with Everton, he will have an even greater influence than he did during his successful debut season at Goodison Park.

“I arrived in early to mid-August last year so I didn’t manage to get that full pre-season, but I struck lucky because I came across a good bunch of lads and a good squad that helped me settle in,” said the 27-year-old, who has recently enjoyed a trip to see family in his hometown of Dakar.