Everton boss Sam Allardyce has claimed that Cenk Tosun has benefited from his time out of the Toffees squad.

Just weeks after his big-money move to Goodison Park, Tosun was removed from the first-team picture and there were suggestions that the forward would return to Turkey in the summer.

However, Allardyce has reintroduced the 26-year-old back into the team, with four goals being scored in three games, and the former England manager feels that he has handled the striker correctly since his arrival from Besiktas.

The 63-year-old is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: "I think his confidence is gained by us taking him out early doors when everyone was going: 'Why aren't you playing him?'

"You know, it's the usual rubbish you get from outside the football club. They say: 'You pay all that money and don't play him, why not?' That's because they don't know. I do, they don't.

"We wanted to get him fitter, and more used to the players he was playing with. A lot of the training and extra training he's done, especially in Dubai, has paid dividends not only for us but for him and long may it continue."

Tosun has now made a total of five starts and two substitute appearances for Everton.