It's fair to say that former Everton loanee Royston Drenthe won't be remembered fondly in the club's history books.
Drenthe's time with the Toffees occurred during current manager David Moyes' initial tenure as Everton boss, joining from Real Madrid for the 2011-12 campaign. What ensued was a confrontation with Moyes and the former Feyenoord player being labelled as the "tenant from hell" by Liverpool cult hero Ryan Babel.
Drenthe, now 38, experienced a turbulent relationship with Moyes throughout his period on Merseyside. The winger allegedly frequently became sidetracked by off-pitch activities, including pool gatherings at his Liverpool home, which belonged to Babel.
Drenthe was also notorious for his poor punctuality. On one particular instance, his lateness sparked a furious confrontation with Moyes that effectively terminated his Goodison Park career.
The incident unfolded when Drenthe arrived late for a squad briefing before the Toffees' FA Cup semifinal in April 2012: a Merseyside derby clash with Liverpool.
"I was waiting outside the room," Drenthe revealed to Four Four Two. "Whereas I probably should have just walked in quietly and taken a seat. When I went in afterwards, Moyes told me to f--- off. I should have accepted it, but I said, 'What do you mean, f--- off, bro? You f--- off.' And then I left for Holland and didn't come back."
Royston Drenthe was on loan at Everton during the 2011-12 season
Royston Drenthe was on loan at Everton during the 2011-12 season (Image: Getty Images)
Drenthe's spell at Everton was also marked by extraordinary allegations that he constructed a nightclub within the property he was leasing from his fellow Dutchman, Babel.
Posting on X, Babel shared: "The time has come to pass it on to its next lucky owner. This house holds so many memories... it was the first place I moved into after leaving my parents' home, full of excitement, mistakes, and lessons.
"When I left Liverpool, I rented it out to a few tenants... one of them being my good old Dutch teammate Royston Drenthe. Let's just say he gave 'tenant from hell' a new meaning."
Drenthe's penchant for a good time even led to an infamous claim that he tried to use the hot tub at Everton's Finch Farm training ground in the early hours for his personal enjoyment. Former Blues shot-stopper Tim Howard reflected on how Drenthe didn't fit the mould of an Everton player back in 2021.
"We're Everton, rolled sleeves up, worker bees," he said. "In comes Royston in Rolls-Royces to training, bowls in with his shoes untied, he has to run the perimeter of the training ground because he's always late, his eyes were half open... you were just at Real Madrid, what are you doing here? This is weird.
"I guess he'd never heard of CCTV and he ended up coming to the training ground in the middle of the night with friends, and they're in the hot tub... you're just thinking, 'You're at the wrong club here mate.'"
Drenthe departed Everton in March 2012, returning to Real Madrid after making 21 appearances at Goodison Park. The Dutchman subsequently played for a further 12 clubs throughout his career, but failed to establish a long-term position at any of them.
In a recent interview with Four Four Two, a more mature Drenthe reflected on his career, suggesting that things might have turned out differently had he been more adaptable under Moyes. He stated: "If I'd adapted more to Moyes, I think I'd have reaped the benefits, as initially I did play a lot under him."