Everton are looking to sign a winger this summer
The Premier League is the best league in the world, with talented players all across the board. Even teams lower down the league have star players that can single handedly win the teams three points on a good day, something that Everton have lacked this season.
The Toffees improved massively in the 20/21 season, finishing 10th, which may not sound like a big improvement, but when you realised they finished with 59 points, this would’ve gotten them 7th in the past two seasons and is a 10 point improvement on the previous season.
One thing Everton have been punished by is their lack of pace. The Blues don’t have any forwards with real game-breaking pace, something that has been very obvious with their slow and lethargic counter-attacks. Carlo Ancelotti needs a winger that can progress the ball quickly down the field without waiting for players like James Rodriguez to eventually catch up with the counter.
Everton are looking to make a splash in the transfer window, with another big window hopefully leading to European football for the Toffees, so why not go out and sign a winger who is already Premier League proven?
Here are three wingers that Everton could sign from the Premier League in the Summer Transfer Window:
Allan Saint-Maximin has been explosive for Newcastle
Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United)
A player with pace, flair and still only 24-years old, it sounds like a dream come true for Evertonians, and Allan Saint-Maximin could be the perfect signing in the transfer window.
The French winger joined Newcastle for around £16 million back in 2019 and has had two fantastic seasons for the Toons, even if this season has been marred by injury, missing a total of 18 games this season, along with another 15 the previous season.
This is probably the only problem with Saint-Maximin. Everton have struggled massively with injuries this campaign, and bringing in another injury-prone player may cause more problems than it can fix, but at the same time, you can rarely find a player of ASM’s quality in a team that is usually fighting towards the relegation zone.
In only 19 starts and six substitute appearances, ASM has scored three goals and handed out four assists, but what should have Everton fans salivating at the thought is his ability with the ball at his feet.
Saint-Maximin currently completes 3.8 dribbles per game, something Everton have been crying out for, and to make it even better, the Frenchman completes 8.8 progressive carries per game, putting him in the top two percent of players in all of Europe’s top five leagues.
He’s also fearless, with ASM completing around one tackle per game while also being fouled two times, now those aren’t Jack Grealish numbers, but Everton’s proficiency from set-pieces this year could mean that those two fouls per game on ASM could lead to a few more goals for Ancelotti’s men.
The only problem with Saint-Maximin would be his price, he’s currently valued at around £25 million, but I’m expecting Newcastle would want close to double that for their star man since the Toon could and probably would be in a serious relegation battle without him.
Around £50 million is very expensive, but it’s also a player who is Premier League proven and could only get better under a coach like Ancelotti and with a much better supporting cast around him.
Matheus Pereira’s West Brom have been relegated
Matheus Pereira (West Brom)
Matheus Pereira is a player who really proved himself over the past season. After a fantastic season in the Championship for West Brom, people questioned if Pereira could keep it up in the Premier League, and with 11 goals and six assists, it’s safe to say the Brazilian has proved he deserves to be playing in England’s top flight next season.
Pereira had the highest-scoring season of his career in the Premier League, making it abundantly clear that he can handle himself in the Premier League. The Brazilian is more of a playmaker than a winger, but he’s also very dangerous on the counter-attack. His 1.8 key passes and 1.2 dribbles are vital in West Brom’s ability to get forward; see the Chelsea game for an example.
The Brazilian could be quite a cheap option for the Toffees. He’s only valued at £11.7 million, and after being relegated with West Brom, it’s possible that Everton will be able to sign Pereira for under £25 million.
As a secondary playmaker, he could be a hazardous problem; the only problem is that he doesn’t have the pace that Everton needs to become a real counter-attacking threat.
Adama Traore has been one of the most important players for Wolves
Adama Traore (Wolves)
Probably the most unrealistic option, but Adama Traore would be a fantastic option to put on the right-wing for Everton. His pace and power is scary, and with underrated technical ability, the Spanish winger could be one of the final pieces that Ancelotti needs to turn Everton into a real attacking force.
Wolves have had a down year this season. After losing Raul Jiminez and new star Pedro Neto to injury, the Midlands-based side had their worst finish after returning to the Premier League, finishing 13th in the league, and Adama may want to leave to greener pastures, especially with Wolves having a strong core of wingers, with Neto and Daniel Podence available.
With Nuno Espírito Santo officially leaving Wolves, it could be Adama’s time to move on, and Everton should be right there to pounce on the deal.
In a similar fashion to what made Saint-Maximin so appealing, it’s Adama’s ability to drive the ball up the field that makes him such an attractive option for Everton. His 10 progressive carries and 5.35 completed dribbles put him in the top one percent in Europe’s top five leagues, making Adama one of the best ball progressing wingers in Europe, something Everton are desperate for.
He’s also the go-to option for game-changing speed. Adama is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, and giving a creator like James someone with the speed and power like Adama could make the Toffees one of the most dangerous attacking units in the Premier League.
The biggest problem with Adama is his passing and crossing, with his 67% pass completion rate putting him in the bottom 10% in Europe. Still, there are ways for Everton to counter this by keeping Adama’s passes short and simple and not forcing him to do too much when it comes to crossing, especially with the previously mentioned James and hopefully a new right-back to join with whichever winger Everton plan on signing.
His price could also raise concern, valued at around £30 million; this could mean Wolves still want around £45 million, which was revealed when Liverpool seemed interested in signing him. Brands and Ancelotti may believe that they can find better options for cheaper. Still, if they want a player who is Premier League proven, then Adama Traore would be a fantastic signing for Everton.