From Flying Kiwis.
There it is. Elijah Just has signed with Horsens on a permanent basis with a contract that’ll run through until 2026. He will wear his trusty #27 jersey for his new team. Check out the quotes below and you’ll read that there was interest in him from several other clubs, including rival Superliga clubs, and that Horsens see him as an immediate help to their squad... albeit with the asterisk that it may take him some time to settle and adjust to a new team at a higher level.
As Just himself says: it was time. FCH had stalled and this opportunity was right there for him. Gotta do what you’ve gotta do. There’s even a ready-made spot there for him as attacker Casper Tengstedt is being sold to Rosenborg with Just seen as a direct replacement.
ACH sports director Niels Erik Søndergård: “Elijah Just had a terrific last season, where he really showed himself on an exuberant FC Helsingør team. He was one of the architects behind their great simple playing style. He fits very well into our strategy of bringing in young players with great development potential and we have no doubt that together we can turn him into a skilled Superliga player in a short time.”
ACH head coach Jens Berthel Askou: “We wanted to add another wide offensive player to strengthen the squad. Elijah Just, despite being only 22 years old, has been a big player for FC Helsingør and he has great untapped potential. He is a senior national team player and has eye-catching qualities. He can hurt the opponent in both small and large spaces, he finishes well with both feet, and he can attack his opponent in several ways. He is a very mobile, quick-thinking player who can give us even more dynamism. He will of course need time to get used to our way of playing and the intensity of the Superliga, but he is an exciting addition that fits well into our strategy. There has been a lot of interest in him - also from other Superliga clubs - so we are happy that he has chosen us because he can help us in both the short and long term.”
Elijah Just: “I am ready for a new and higher level in my career and it makes perfect sense to switch to AC Horsens. The club has a good staff and I really like the mentality of the players, which suits me very well. I was in Aalborg to watch the game yesterday and I saw a team desperate to keep that clean sheet above everything and it was actually quite inspiring.
I already felt like part of the team and I look forward to contributing with my qualities. Of course, I have some work to do in terms of adapting to the playing style and getting to know my teammates but I will do everything to help the team as soon as possible.”
Of course this does leave Callum McCowatt a bit stranded. Often he and Just would find each other subbed in opposite directions at the same time so on a purely personal level this should mean a more consistent starting gig for him. But that’s assuming that he’s still there at the end of the transfer window which may very well not be the case.
They’ve also sold striker Tonni Adamsen to Silkeborg this week to go with a few other offseason departures and there’s every chance that McCowatt might be eyeing a way out himself. But we’ll have to wait and see how that goes.
