The summer transfer deadline is officially behind us, and Everton were able to get one deal done in the last 24 hours, with Merlin Rohl set to join the Toffees on loan from German side Freiburg. There is an obligation to buy within the contract. Rohl has already landed in Liverpool and should be announced soon.
Although some fans were expecting a right back or a more traditional midfielder, Rohl’s signing is a fitting conclusion to a roller coaster of a window for Everton. He addresses a position of need and will compete for minutes with Idrissa Gana Gueye, James Garner, and Tim Iroegbunam.
Rohl is a player who has versatile traits. He’s good when it comes to carrying the ball, and his first touch is decent. He can play as a crashing 8 but also could slot in at the 10 or at the 6.
His FBRef stats don’t look amazing, but that could be attributed to his role. Actually, if you look at his numbers one comparison on FBRef, Abdoulaye Doucouré shows up. The former Everton midfielder played higher up as well, even though he was a more traditional midfielder.
Still only 23 years old, Rohl is yet another player who joins Everton’s core. He’s tall, a physical freak of nature, and will definitely get a good chunk of minutes either in the double pivot or behind the striker.
There is a bit of concern about whether he can play as a 6, though. Everton’s options at that position aren’t particularly the best, and Rohl hasn’t played much in that particular role.
Who knows what Moyes plans to do there, but as of right now, there’s no reason not to trust the transfer committee on this signing. As long as he can provide valuable minutes, this signing has minimal risk and could result in massive gains.