Everton has made progress in recent days by signing Portuguese striker Beto from Serie A club Udinese. The 6 foot 4 inch forward will look to contribute right away to a team desperate to score goals. Everton has yet to find the back of the net this season after three matches, where in two of them the Blues accrued more expected goals than their opponent. So, what type of impact can Beto make for Everton?
As previously mentioned standing at 6 foot 4 inches, Beto is exceptional in the air with an 89 percent ariel duel win percentage. He possesses a similar profile to Dominic Calvert-Lewin in that regard. Beto uses his physicality to put pressure when his team is not in possession. According to FBref, Beto makes 0.73 tackles per 90 and 0.34 tackles in the attacking third per 90, ranking in the 63rd and 84th percentile. Beto ranks above the 65th percentile for shots blocked and passes blocked per 90. Beto also ranks in the 90th percentile in clearances per 90.
All of these defensive numbers are good, but what’s more important are his abilities to create goals and score them.
How does Beto fit in the Everton side?
One of the striker’s best attributes is using his frame to take on defenders to get shots on goal. Beto makes 0.30 successful take on’s leading to a shot per 90, which is in the 79th percentile. He makes 1.21 key passes per 90, putting him in the 74th percentile. According to DataMB, Beto ranks in the 73rd percentile in expected assists.
He also has good possession numbers in attacking areas, including 1.47 touches in the opponent penalty area per 90 (86th percentile) and 5.39 touches in the attacking penalty area (69th percentile).
With two consecutive double-digit goal seasons on his record, Beto is a signing for Everton that will make a strong impact right away. His ability in front of goal will certainly be an improvement to the team’s scoring numbers. There have been numerous chances for Everton to put goals up early this season and it feels like a nightmare that they haven’t.
The fans will certainly love him because of his bravery, effort, and physicality which is similar to the Romelu Lukaku days when Everton had a proper striker leading the line. Time will tell whether he can rise to that level in terms of performance, but his arrival is exciting nonetheless. In addition to the signing of fellow Portuguese striker Youseff Chermiti, Everton has positioned themselves in a better place to find success this Premier League season.