Everton still linked with Championship strikers despite relegation fears
With four games left to save their Premier League status, Everton are continuing to be linked with summer moves for several forwards in the Championship.
Obviously, this is nothing new but the stories are still doing the rounds that the Toffees’ will go into the transfer market for previously mentioned names, when the summer window opens.
Everton are supposedly looking closely again at Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres and Sheffield United’s Iliman Ndiaye.
Goykeres was a player that the club were very keen on towards the end of the January transfer window, although despite rumours of bids considered nothing came of it as the Midlands club were determined to keep him.
As for Ndiaye, he has also popped up on the radar in the past and was linked with a possible move.
Of course, if the worst happens at the end of this season, then the Blues’ could well be playing in the same division as these two when the summer comes round.
We all hope that won’t be the case even though there just might be a silver lining to be found in those dark clouds.
If Everton do survive (which will be by the skin of their teeth) then they have to strengthen their trheadbare attack in the summer. Most Evertonians would say it is the absolute number one priority.
Having said that, interestingly the Toffees’ have upped their goal return under Sean Dyche, while their defensive efforts have declined and the team is letting in goals with alarming regularity.
It doesn’t help when the manager continues to pick a player, Michael Keane, who has consistently proved to be hugely vulnerable to making individual mistakes and getting caught out by any half-decent Premier League striker.
Although there will certainly be room for better defensive additions, getting at least two or three quality forwards in will be a must for Dyche, assuming he is still in post.
Of the two, Gyokeres has the more productive statistical record having netted twenty-one times in the Championship so far this campaign, which is an impressive total.
The Swedish international looks like exactly the sort of player the Blues’ need to improve the potency of the Premier League’s worst attack.
As for Ndiaye, the Senegal forward is the more naturally versatile and has some obvious qualities that again would surely improve Everton’s options.
All this is a lot of ifs, buts and maybe’s as usual depending ultimately on the outcome of this season and where the Toffees’ finish.
There will certainly be competition for Gyokeres in particular with Leeds United also said to be very keen on the 24-year-old. Obviously, if they survive and Everton don’t, then it will be no contest assuming he does leave Coventry.