Has Everton made a mistake by not pursuing €12 million man?

Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik has left Napoli and joined Olympique Marseille on loan with an obligation to buy. The 26 year old was widely considered as an Everton target after the Toffees had shown interest in him since last summer.

Milik was enduring painful time at Napoli, excluded from the squad and finding it difficult to negotiate a transfer away from Naples. In the summer transfer window, when Victor Osimhen arrived from LOSC Lille, Milik’s position was in danger as there were fears citing his playing time. Napoli were open to selling him but the price tag of €25 million on a player who has just one year left on his contract didn’t please his suitors.

The Polish international had a host of clubs interested in him. In Italy, Juventus, AS Roma and Inter Milan kept a track of his situation whereas Premier League clubs Everton and Tottenham Hotspur made enquiries.

The Toffees were exploring attacking options mainly in the striker’s position and the name of Milik looked attractive. Carlo Ancelotti has a liking to work with players he previously coached which saw the arrival of Allan from Napoli and James Rodriguez from Real Madrid.

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So another reunion could have been potentially on the cards. The summer transfer window dust settled but not the Milik soap opera. Napoli were too stubborn on their demands and no team was willing to match it. Names of clubs continued to get associated with Milik, including Everton, as we inched closer and closer to the January transfer window. There is no running away from the fact that the Toffees do require reinforcements in the striking department.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has rightfully staked his claim on the starting spot by delivering exemplary results. However, the same cannot be suggested for his backup options. Before Moise Kean left for PSG, he was struggling to mould himself into the Premier League surrounding whereas Cenk Tosun also doesn’t offer much confidence.

Was Arkadiusz Milik the answer to Everton worries?

Arkadiusz Milik signed for Marseille for €8 million plus €4 million in add-ons. With a player of his capabilities available at just over €10 million, it’s a steal. Everything about Milik is inviting and promising. The Polish is in his prime, has a decent goalscoring record and has the pedigree to turn into a match winner. So have Everton made a mistake by not pursuing him?

The entire Napoli exit saga revolved around the lack of playing time Milik would have after Osimhen’s arrival. The former Ajax striker didn’t want to be pinned down as a secondary choice and had Everton managed to beat off a stave competition from other clubs for his services, it was almost certain that he’d end up in a very similar situation at Goodison Park.

There’s no way any other player gets the nod ahead of DCL at the moment. Had Everton been lacking a clinical, dangerous striking face, we’d not be having this debate but Calvert-Lewin is the present and the future of the club. Milik is not on a downhill trajectory in his career, rather in his prime, and deserves to be a starter at any club.

A solution would be to have a two striker formation but that would disrupt the balance elsewhere in the team. So, it isn’t the end of the world if Everton took a pass at Milik. The summer transfer window will offer an opportunity to sign a convincing, sizeable backup to Calvert-Lewin, an opportunity that the Toffees cannot afford to miss.