Returning again to Tuesday’s AGM, Everton Director of Football Marcel Brands talked extensively about the Blues transfer strategy and why certain moves were made and others hadn’t been.
The Dutchman was keen to emphasise to Everton shareholders and supporters that he and the club were very aware of the need to trim the squad numbers and free up resources for further investment in new and better players going forward.
He also made it clear that moves of the sort the Toffees were being associated with last summer for a player like Wilfried Zaha, were just not realistic given the Blues financial position.
Well then that means that the Blues won’t be getting involved in any bidding for the very top echelon of footballers any time soon.
Anyway one area of the team where Brands indicated reinforcements were being considered in this and future windows, is the right-side of Everton’s attack.
This is an area of the team where manager Carlo Ancelotti’s predecessor, Marco Silva, was also apparently keen to strengthen. During the summer the Toffees were linked with a number of high-profile right-sided attackers although nothing eventually came of any of these rumours.
There are a few others of this type of footballer who could be considered and might also be available either to buy at a reasonable price or to take on loan this month.
The first player is Jeremie Boga. Everton have been recently linked with him and the stories circulating indicate that his club Sassuolo in Italy might be prepared to sell.
Boga is a forward player who can operate across the attack although he seems to be best suited to playing up front. He is young, which fits with Brands philosophy, has some strengths and would add goals, but he is not a really creative type and is considered weak defensively.
This could be a problem if he was to join and then slot in on the right of the Blues team, in front of the Toffees on-loan right-back Djibril Sidibe. The full-back, is a very good attacking threat but isn’t the best defending and if Boga was to link up with him, it would leave the Blues very vulnerable on that side of the pitch.
A better option might actually be his team-mate Domenico Berandi. The 25-year-old Italian international delivers plenty of goals and contributes regular assists as well. He is comfortable playing wide right or up front too. And he would be a very solid defensive presence. A player like this would also allow Ancelotti to play his flexible, 442-type system.
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Moving onto Spain’s La Liga and one player a little under the radar is the Sevilla attacker Lucas Ocampos. The Argentine forward is certainly a goal threat, averaging one every three games in the Spanish top flight. He is also strong in defence and so would again offer that screen in front of the instinctively adventurous Sidibe.
Another player to consider might be Lyon’s Bertrand Traore. He looks to be a strong attacking player, particularly suited to playing on the right, consistent and a goal threat.
Again sticking with Lyon players how about another young attacking talent, Maxwel Cornet. The Ivory Coast international seems to be a very productive player who has netted three times and added two assists in just eight Ligue 1 appearances.
Cornet is another youngster, only 23, and would give natural balance on the right hand side of the Blues attack as well as a genuine additional goal threat too, something Everton certainly need.