Why Arnaut Danjuma and Andre Gomes were missing from Everton's final squad ahead of exits

Sean Dyche has revealed that ‘injuries and illness’ was why Andre Gomes and Arnaut Danjuma were not involved in Everton’s final game of the season.

It had already been confirmed that the pair, along with third-choice goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, will leave the club at the end of the season. Gomes has spent the past six years at Goodison Park, initially signing on loan from Barcelona before making that move permanent for £22 million.

However, the midfielder has fallen out of favour in recent seasons, spending last term on loan at Lille while he’s spent much of this campaign troubled by a calf injury. He made 16 appearances in 2023-24, scoring twice but departs at the end of his contract.

Danjuma, meanwhile, has been on loan from Spanish outfit Villarreal. The forward has endured a disappointing spell, scoring only twice in 20 games. Danjuma returned from an ankle injury last month that ruled him out for two months but was left on the bench on six occasions.

Lonergan has spent the past three years on Merseyside but has never made a first-team appearance.

Gomes, Danjuma and Lonergan said their goodbyes to Goodison after Everton’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United. But they were omitted from Dyche’s match-day squad for the Toffees’ 2-1 defeat by Arsenal on the final day of the campaign. Explaining why, Dyche told reporters: “Injuries, illness, a mixture of the thoughts on the situations. They couldn’t be here today which is unfortunate but we are threadbare as you know anyway but yet again I thought the players gave their lot to affect the game.”