Next James Bond: Ex-Premier League footballer makes shock surge in race to land 007 role
A former Premier League star could be taking over from Daniel Craig as Bond
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The winner of the race to land the coveted role of James Bond remains an enigma for now with film bosses yet to confirm a concrete replacement Daniel Craig.
A number of big names have been touted for the role from all over the globe but the latest entrant to the market is one that has caught the eye of film fans - and football fans too.
One football fan shared a tweet including a screenshot of a James Bond market in which former Everton winger Royston Drenthe was featured at 500/1.
The Twitter user didn't include a source for the odds but did supply the caption: "Why is Royston Drenthe even on the list to be the next James Bond," followed by a series of laughing emojis.
The tweet has been viewed almost half a million times after piquing the interest of football fans everywhere.
And now, in an exclusive statement to GB News, bookmakers William Hill have addressed Drenthe's surprise inclusion in the market.
Royston Drenthe (right) played for Everton in the Premier League
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William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps told GB News: "Royston Drenthe hardly set the Premier League alight during his time at Everton, but if recent reports are anything to go by, the Dutch footballer may be trading his shooting boots for a license to kill.
“The former Real Madrid winger has been added as a 1000/1 selection with us to become the next James Bond.
"(This puts) him alongside names such as Piers Morgan, David Beckham and Will Smith for the coveted role.”
At 1000/1, Drenthe's odds don't exactly land him in a prime position to bag the role of Bond.
Instead, the frontrunners have been whittled down to a handful of Hollywood's most sought after stars.
Snowfall star Damson Idris is topping the betting as it stands with odds of 2/1.
He's closely followed by Kick-Ass leading man Aaron Taylor-Johnson at 3/1 and Bridgerton heart-throb Rege-Jean Page at the same odds.
James Norton, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill are other big names who are in the running but currently ranked as outsiders to the top three, according to William Hill.
Drenthe has had quite the eventful career but even a stint as 007 would be an almighty turn up for the books.
The 36-year-old Dutchman began his career at Feyenoord before he made the move of a lifetime to Real Madrid.
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It was during his spell with the Spanish giants that Drenthe was loaned out to Everton for the 2011-12 season.
Drenthe's career failed to live up to the highs of playing at the Bernabeu after he left Los Blancos following his loan spell at Goodison Park.
After a brief spell in Russia, Drenthe returned to England in 2013 as part of Reading's first team.
A loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday followed before he jetted to Turkey in 2015 to play for Kayseri Erciyesspor.
Following his spell in Turkey, Drenthe played for clubs in Abu Dhabi, Spain and the Netherlands before calling time on his playing career in 2022.
He also has one cap for the Netherlands senior team which he achieved in 2010.