Cenk Tosun has revealed that Sam Allardyce has reassured him he has a big future at Everton after early teething problems.
The centre-forward who joined the Toffees for £27million from Besiktas in January, according to Sky Sports, is yet to score a goal for his new club.
Allardyce has opted to play Tosun in only three games so far, with the forward spending a total of 147 minutes of the pitch.
The Toffees boss was asked about his decision to only play the 26-year-old for 12 minutes during his side 5-1 defeat to Arsenal.
“He’s had service to him that he’s not held up and he’s found it a bit of a struggle at this level because of the pace and the physicality of the game,” said Allardyce, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“So his service hasn’t been too bad but his hold up play hasn’t been like it was at Besiktas so that’s why he’s not starting the games at the minute because he’s finding it tough going like every player does, particularly when they come in January.”
Tosun spoke about Allardyce, following his manager’s frank admission in an interview with Haberturk, and assured fans that he has no problems with his manager as Allardyce has reassured him that he will be a first-team regular once he adapts to the league.
“He is constantly talking to me, I have no problems,” said the centre-forward, as quoted by the Turkish newspaper.
“When I get over the adaptation problem, he says that my place is the first 11, he gives me morale.”
OPINION
Allardyce really needs to start playing Tosun regularly in order for him to be able to adapt the Premier League. The centre-forward may be happy now with the knowledge that his manager will start him once he is deemed to have settled, but his manager isn’t helping him fit in. Tosun cannot be expected to get up to speed with the Premier League if he is barely featuring. There was no point to his 12 minute cameo against Arsenal, as the centre-forward entered the game when it was all but done. Hopefully for the sake of Tosun, Allardyce realises that he needs minutes in order to settle in at Everton.