Scotland legend backs Everton to sign Chelsea ace Gilmour

Former West Ham and Scotland striker Frank MacAvennie says Everton should seriously consider bringing in Chelsea’s talented young midfielder Billy Gilmour.

In terms of transfer activity it has been an unusually hectic past few days for Everton after weeks of increasingly tentative speculation and no actual movement at all.

Then, in the space of just over 24 hours the Toffees’ have added loan signing Ruben Vinagre and winger Dwight McNeil to the squad, as that deal has now been formally confirmed.

Now, MacAvennie – who in his playing days formed a lethal partnership at West Ham with Tony Cottee, which promoted the Blues’ to sign Cottee for a then record £2 million in 1988 – says Gilmour would make an excellent further addition.

The young Scot is a player regularly linked with a move to Goodison Park over the last few weekend and months but nothing concrete has emerged.

Strengthening central midfield is obviously a key prioirity for Frank Lampard and Everton have been relentlessly linked with one midfielder after another without anyone as yet coming through the door.

Gilmour is one of several Chelsea youngsters that the Blues’ have apparently looked at closely, along with his team-mate Conor Gallagher.

Both were out on loan last season at other Premier League clubs. And, while Gallagher got rave reviews for his often impressive and match-winning performances for Crystal Palace, Gilmour barely played for Norwich City despite them facing a  season-long relegation battle.

This represented a step backwards for the Scottish international who had burst onto the scene with a brilliant individual performance when Chelsea beat Liverpool in last season’s FA Cup.

He’s never managed to replicate that sort of dominant midfield effort but he’s a regular in the Scotland team the talent and MacAvennie is convinced he will still be a top player. Perhaps he would thrive joining up with another Scottish youngster and international team-mate Nathan Patterson.

Looking at his qualities though he doesn’t seem to have the sort of out-and-out defensive strength and ball-winning ability that Everton really do need in the engine room.

Rumours are surfacing that indicate the Toffees’ might actually be trying to get Idrissa Gana Gueye back from PSG.

For me the Blues’ have never replaced the Ghanian player’s energy and ability to cover the ground in midfield, break up attacks and win the ball so often and so quickly. He basically did two players jobs and allowed whoever was alongisde him the freedom to get forward.

This would be just what Everton need, enabling other midfielders like Abdoulaye Doucoure to contribute more goals then they have done so far. This is also what the team certainly needs.

Something like that happened for a short time at the beginning of the last campaign under Rafa Benitez, before injury decimated the squad again and undermined what had been a solid start.

Getting in a player who can provide that sort of energy and defensive grit would also Lampard some additional tactical options next season.