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King situation at Everton a strange one

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Joshua King of Everton is challenged by Marcos Alonso of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on March 08, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Joshua King of Everton is challenged by Marcos Alonso of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on March 08, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images) /
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One of the strangest situations at Everton over the past few months has been the virtual absence from the team of January signing Josh King.

During the January transfer window Everton engineered loan deals which saw their only senior striker in reserve Cenk Tosun return to his former club Besiktas and then teenage forward Ellis Simms also went out on loan to Blackpool.

This meant the Toffees didn’t have any strikers in their squad after the two starting players Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. So it seemed imperative that they bring in another forward before the window shut.

That player was King who was signed from Championship side Bournemouth with literally seconds to go on deadline day. The Blues had been in competition with Fulham for the Norway international’s signature that day but had persuaded him to choose Goodison Park.

King is a versatile forward with pace and plenty of top-flight as well as international experience and had been a player long linked with a move to Everton. And the Toffees certainly needed back-up and an alternative to come on in matches.

When King reported to Finch Farm he was apparently not match-fit and so needed some time to train with his new team-mates and get up to speed ready for the Premier League again.

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So we had to wait to see the new Everton forward but since then we’ve hardly seen anything of him and he has spent most of his time warming the bench.

Most strangely last Monday night against Crystal Palace when the Blues needed another goal to kill off their opponents, King wasn’t called upon and instead Carlo Ancelotti decided to make two defensive substitutions and Palace got an equaliser.

So it seems as though Ancelotti isn’t too impressed with his new signing and is reluctant to give him much playing time and has now been saying he doesn’t fit in with the club’s tactics and plans.

Now there are strong doubts over whether King will get a permanent deal at the end of the season despite some positive hints earlier on.

I don’t know whether Ancelotti actually really wanted him, his lack of playing time under the Italian would seem to indicate otherwise but it would be very surprising if there wasn’t full agreement about him joining as it’s not likely Ancelotti wouldn’t have been consulted!

And while it’s quite possible this is entirely down to his failing to impress in training, it does create further uncertainty about where the Toffees go from here this summer in terms of much-needed striking support for their usual front two.

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