GWLADYS
By Andrew McGregor
9
As said above we need Kurt
Zouma who has been excellent
for Everton this season, and is
the best Centre Back at the club.
Zouma is fast, strong, good in
the air and can carry the ball
into midfield comfortably when
there is nothing on ahead of him.
If we can’t sign Zouma then we
need to look at alternatives. Jamal
Lascelles, at Newcastle, is one
option. Like Zouma, he is quick
and strong but he would also
add some leadership to the side.
Another option would be Moussa
Niakhate, who plays for Mainz
05 in Germany. The Frenchmen
is quick, strong, and left footed
so could seamlessly slot in to the
position Zouma occupies now.
Niakhate also has a lot more
potential to grow.
Centre Midfielder:
Andre Gomes is obviously the
number one target and I think
Brands, Silva, and the fans
all want him to be an Everton
player for the long term. The
As I said earlier in this piece,
we have Richarlison who scores
goals but isn’t overly creative,
and we have Bernard who
creates chances but doesn’t score
goals. So for me we need to add
someone who does both to the
winger rotation, as Theo Walcott
has been poor this season overall.
Now a winger who do both can be
very expensive and Everton have
been linked with David Neres of
Ajax who both scores and creates
and has massive potential. Neres
would need a year to acclimate to
Premier League with the pace of
the game and the physicality but
he would be a smart signing. Less
expensive options than Neres
would be someone like Leandro
Trossard, who plays for Genk in
Belgium, who scores goals and
creates at a high rate. Giorgi
Chakvetadze of Gent in Belgium
and Ismaila Sarr of Rennes in
France could be another two
options.
Centre Midfielder 2:
This is an important signing as
we need someone who can do
what Gueye can do but also have
a bigger affect when they on the
ball. The list of players who can
do that isn’t that big, however,
Everton do have some viable
options. Ibrahim Sangare of
Toulouse has to be the number
one target! 6ft 3, quick, strong
and puts up the same defensive
numbers in terms of tackling
and intercepting that Gueye does.
Sangare is also good on the ball
with a good passing range and
the ability to break the lines with
dribbling. Another option for this
role would be Ismael Bennacer
who is a different type of player
than Gueye.
The reason Everton need a Centre
Back is simple! We need to sign
Kurt Zouma. That may be difficult
with Chelsea’s transfer ban but
him and Michael Keane have
forged a really solid partnership. If
Everton are unable to sign Zouma
they will need to find someone who
has the Frenchman’s pace which
makes up for any shortcomings
Keane or Mina may have.
Creativity is the reason we also
need a Right Winger, Richarlison
has done well since he swapped
sides, which enabled us to play
Bernard on his favourite side, but
another winger who can create
and score goals rather than Theo
Walcott would again make us a
better side overall. Richarlison
doesn’t really create and Bernard
doesn’t really score so we need
someone to share the load with
them two.
Everton need a Striker! What
level of Striker they sign may be
Brand’s biggest decision of the
summer. Do they go out and sign
a known quantity? Or do they
sign a compliment for Dominic
Calvert Lewin so they don’t stifle
his development?
Centre Back:
For me watching Everton every
week we definitely need to sign a
few players to, at the very least,
consolidate seventh place next
season. Wolves, Leicester, and
Watford will all add in the summer
so we must do the same and not
stand pat. I think Everton need
two Centre Midfielders, a Centre
Back, a Creative Winger and a
Striker. Whether Brands will look
to rectify all of these in one window is
the question.
Creativity is a big issue for
Everton and although good in
their respective roles, Gueye and
Gomes really haven’t helped
Everton break down poorer teams
on a consistent basis. Adding a
midfielder who can break the lines
with both passing and dribbling
will make us a much better and
more effective side.
Winger:
Brands has a few different
directions he could go in, does he
convince Moshiri this is the year to
make a big push for the top six and
ask for Everton’s majority owner
to heavily invest? Or does Brands
decide to stay the course and add
a couple of players whilst also
developing Everton’s home grown
players?
Signing Gomes from a fan’s
perspective appears to be a big one.
The Portuguese midfielder has
charmed his way into Evertonians’
hearts with his embracing of the
club off the pitch, as well as the
style he shows on it. Gomes
hasn’t been perfect at Everton;
he isn’t great defensively, and
really hasn’t added to the side’s
creativity despite having the
ability to take games over.
Portuguese maestro has the
ability to control games with his
lovely array of passing and the
ability to carry the ball through a
packed midfield. He needs to get
better defensively and we would
need more consistency in final
third, but he would be a fantastic
permanent addition. If we could
not sign Gomes then we would
need a midfielder with similar
attributes so someone who can
pass the ball short or long, takes
control, and can dribble. Kevin
Stoger of Fortuna Dusseldorf
is one option as he does all of
the above, but is also very good
defensively. Eibar’s Joan Jordan
would be another good option!
Good creative passer, who can
break the lines and is used to
playing in a two in midfield.
It’s an important summer for
Marcel Brand, Everton’s Director
of Football; there is a lot of work
to do in the two and a half months
before the new season starts.
Obviously everyone knows Everton
have a lot of deadwood at the club
and they need to come off the
wage bill, but who comes into the
club is just as important.
Whomever Everton sign; they
need someone who has pace,
good movement, and the ability
to create a shot for themselves.
Calvert
Lewin
is
good
at
pressuring defenders and holding
the ball up, but his composure in
front of goal and his ability to get
good quality shots off isn’t quite
there yet.
Transfers
Centre Midfield is where Everton
need the biggest upgrade! For
me two new Centre midfielders
need to be signed as a minimum.
Whether one of them is Andre
Gomes remains to be seen. Their
may be a need for a third new
Centre midfielder, if Idrissa Gana
Gueye leaves the club in the
summer.
Striker:
For this position, as I said earlier,
Brand could go in a number of
different directions! Does he
bring in someone to compliment
Calvert Lewin, like Che Adams
from Birmingham who has the
pace to get in behind defences
but who is also an active presser
who has scored a lot of goals this
season in the Championship?
Does Brands sign a player with
really high potential who is
already good enough to start like
Lille’s Rafael Leao? Leao is big,
strong, fast, technical, and has
the ability to become one of the
best in Europe Or does Brands go
for someone like Milos Rashica
of Werder Bremen or Jean Kevin
Augustin who both have pace
and excellent movement, which
would suit a Marco Silva system?
10
Whatever Brands does in the
summer he should have our
full confidence! Last summer’s
window brought in quality and
quantity which improved the
side. Now we may not bring a
player in for every position I
have suggested, as maybe Brands
feels Nikola Vlasic and Henry
Onyekuru can be added to the
side to add goals and creativity
when they return from their loan
spells. Also, he may not have the
money to sign 5 quality players
on permanent deals so may look
to loan market again like with
Zouma and Gomes. In any case,
it’s an exciting summer ahead so
let’s look forward to it