American striker signing would be a snip for Everton
More rumours are linking Everton with a move for the USA striker Matthew Hoppe who could be available this summer for a very small fee.
Everton are apparently one of several clubs running an eye over the American forward who has adapted very well to life in Europe with Shalke 04 in Germany.
He has even scored a superbly taken hat-trick which certainly had pundits purring over the talent of the 20-year-old from California.
US players are a coming force in European domestic football and the national team has been excelling recently too winning the Gold Cup this summer. If they keep improving at this rate it might not be too long before the Americans have a decent shout at winning a World Cup.
Hoppe is one of the bright young things of US football but despite that and his recently impressive performances in the Bundesliga, it seems as though Schalke might be prepared to let him go and for a rock bottom fee, one even the Blues could afford these days!
He’s a tall, quick and direct running striker who seems to have good awareness and great goalscoring instincts. All of which would make him an ideal addition.
Although it’s perhaps not as big a priority as sorting out the future at right-back, adding some additional attacking width and more midfield options, getting another striker in to suppliment and support Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison is nevertheless an issue.
The Blues are over-reliant on these two for goals and both had absences last season due to suspension and injury. And after Richarlison’s excertions in the Copa America and then Olympics this summer he is bound to need some time off this season.
Alongside rumours about Hoppe comes further stories about other strikers Everton are supposedly tracking including Lorenzo Insigne.
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Of all these possibiltiies however remote they may be, Hoppe is certainly by far the cheapest – at least for the moment anyway.
And the Tofffees have a recent tradition in David Moyes’ time of bringing in American players to good effect with Landon Donovan’s loan cameo’s being much appreciated by supporters and goalkeeper Tim Howard who proved an excellent signing and a great servant to the club.
Hoppe is the same age as another young striker signed by Everton two summer’s ago who has unfortunately not proved a success.
That player is of course Moise Kean who has never settled on Merseyside and certainly does seem to want to go after enjoying his loan move last season across the channel at PSG.
His future is still very uncertain but it seems crucial to sort out where he is going before Everton can contemplate any significant spending in this transfer window. However, if Hoppe is available for two or three million quid that certainly seems a gamble worth taking.