Everton transfer rumours round-up
In the latest transfer rumours the Mirror are reporting that Everton are one of several Premier League clubs interested in Porto striker Moussa Marega as the Portuguese side prepare for a summer sale.
The paper claims Porto want around £35 million for the 26-year-old player, who is seeking a move to England and Porto are looking for an auction of interested Premier League clubs, including Everton, to drive up the price.
Once again the figures being talked about for Marega are seriously inflated. But it underlines how far the transfer market has gone when a forward from one of Europe’s weakest leagues can (in theory) command such a fee.
It’s true that Everton still lack the goals of the top sides in the Premier League but it seems that midfield and defence are in more urgent need of further reinforcement and should be the priority of whoever is in charge come the off-season.
I think that taking such an expensive punt on another unproven striker from Europe is a risk that Everton should not be considering.
The Blues have only just paid out almost £30 million for Turkish international Cenk Tosun when they signed the former Besiktas striker in January. Then they paid roughly the same amount later in the month for Theo Walcott.
Tosun seems to be finding his feet in England and looks a good all-round centre forward. He is getting to grips with the Premier League and should be given the time to really bed into the team and deliver the goals he is capable of.
Up front Everton have Walcott who has proved a sound, if not spectacular, acquisition and Yannick Bolasie who has just returned from long-term injury.
Bolasie scored against Manchester City at the weekend and seems to be close to regaining his best form, which made him a sought after player when the Blues signed him.
Then there is a young forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin who needs the opportunity to continue to develop his game.
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He has certainly had an up-and-down season but has chipped in with goals and assists and is a player I think the Blues should persist with.
Along with all these players is the injured Gylfi Sigurdsson and another summer signing Henry Onyekuru.
Sigurdsson will hopefully be back playing before this season finishes. And Onyekuru, who Evertonians have yet to see in action, should be fit for next season too.
All these options up front should surely give the Blues the ammunition and goals they need.
Moving onto possible defensive reinforcements, Everton are being mooted as a contender to sign Ivory Coast defender Wilfried Kanon.
According to the Sun the Blues though will have to compete with a host of Spanish clubs for the 24-year-old centre-back’s signature.
Kanon, who is playing in the Dutch top flight, might be available for as little as £2 million in the summer.
Next: More post-match analysis of City game
It’s essential Everton improve the pace they have at the back so a move of this kind would make sense.