DESPITE having already signed Jonas Lossl, Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes, Moise Kean, and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, there are still positions to address, and areas to improve in the Everton squad. Therefore, it’s likely that the club will bring in three or four more players before the transfer window closes. Everton could be one of the busiest clubs in the final days of the window. Here are three players who we most want the Toffees to sign before the season starts…
Kurt Zouma (#FreeZouma)
As the days pass by, the #FreeZouma movement continues to grow. Everton fans want Zouma back at the club and this time for keeps.
The Frenchman seemingly enjoyed a season-long loan last season, and was part of a solid centre-back partnership, alongside the much-improved Michael Keane. The pair complimented each other well and were primary contributors towards Everton keeping an impressive 14 clean sheets during the 2018/19 Premier League season. Keane reads the game very well and plays out from the back with composure, whilst Zouma uses his strength, pace, and all-round physicality to stop, block, chase, and tackle anything that comes his way.
Mourinho makes a huge case for Kurt Zouma. pic.twitter.com/kBilYcrbpz
— Slay Papa (@TweetAtAustin) August 1, 2019
This partnership, along with Zouma’s terrific individual displays and hard-work, has reaffirmed Evertonians’ opinions that he should be transferred-in permanently (hence the #FreeZouma). Although current Everton defender, Yerry Mina, is good enough to replace Zouma, he possesses very similar qualities to Keane, and therefore that partnership presents quite a few imbalances. Both are very slow on the turn, and this a concern going to into a Premier League season against attacks full of pace. A quicker defender, like Zouma, would be a great addition to solve this issue.
Everton fans clearly want the 24-year-old Frenchman, however, whether Chelsea want to sell is another question. They appear to want Zouma to stay, despite already having four other very capable centre-back options (Rudiger, Luiz, Christensen, Tomori). It will be up to Zouma to force the move, and Evertonians will be hoping he does.
It’s likely he’d cost around £30-35 million, but who knows with Marcel Brands and his recent bargain deals? It wouldn’t be surprising at all if he knocked a few quid off that.
Abdoulaye Doucore
Although Everton’s midfield three of Gbamin, Gomes, and Sigurdsson seems pretty set in stone, the club have just reportedly had a £32 million bid for Watford powerhouse midfielder, Abdoulaye Doucoure, rejected. This potential signing may appear to make little sense, however, Doucoure would provide the side with different options, and is a quality, and creative player to have in the squad.
Stylistically he’s most similar to Andre Gomes out of the current midfield, and so would probably be competing with Gomes for a starting spot. At 6ft tall, Doucoure provides a mobile, ball-carrying physicality. Although most people regard Gomes as being the better player of the two, Doucoure was more impressive statistically last season. He excelled particularly in terms of creativity; creativity that the Everton midfield sometimes lack. Doucoure managed six assists in the league last season to Gomes’s one, and created eight big chances created to Gomes’s 1. The Watford man also made more forward passes and played more through balls than Gomes, as well as having 20% better shooting accuracy.
It's not just Marco Silva – who wouldn't want Abdoulaye Doucouré in their squad? Playing in a two, he can get forward like an AM or pass like a holding player. Or he can play as a classic CM, though he takes a lot more risks there.
(1/2)#Everton #Toffees #Doucoure pic.twitter.com/OX3MlYza50
— smarterscout (@smarterscout) August 3, 2019
If not competing with Gomes, the plan might be to play an inevitably overly offensive 4-3-3, with Gomes, Sigurdsson, and Doucoure as the midfield three. But there would also be the option of a fairly defensive 4-3-3 with Gbamin, Doucoure, and Gomes. Alternatively, Gbamin may be included in a back three, whilst Gomes, Doucoure, and Sigurdsson operate in the midfield. This could be deployed occasionally, but it seems Marco Silva prefers either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1.
To conclude, it’s likely that the potential signing of the French midfielder would simply provide welcome competition for places, and give Marco Silva more options when needing to rotate the squad during busy periods.
A fee of around £40 million should be enough for Doucoure, who would definitely add quality to the Everton side.
Wilfried Zaha
It came as somewhat of a surprise to Everton fans recently that the club were bidding for Crystal Palace star man, Wilfried Zaha. Nevertheless, it was certainly a welcome surprise, and a transfer that the majority of Evertonians are hoping can materialise.
The club reportedly had a bid of around £52 million rejected for the Ivorian winger, and have since seemingly withdrawn their interest. Whether that interest is renewed, remains to be seen. Everton have been rumoured to be after wingers all summer, with the likes Malcom, Bertrand Traore, and David Neres all being heavily linked with a move to Merseyside. However, Zaha is the best of that bunch, and would be a great signing for Everton.
The Everton starting line-up of last season lacked pace, and players capable of beating their marker. A fast, tricky player like Zaha would provide Everton with a different, more dynamic approach in the attack.
Zaha Links To Everton Return | Everton News Daily
Sponsored by @Unibet. More transfer news https://t.co/XYeteRJYRL#Ad 18+ pic.twitter.com/Trz46FiTBS
— Toffee TV (@ToffeeTVEFC) August 5, 2019
Zaha tallied a decent return of 10 goals and five assists in the league last season, however, those numbers would be likely to increase if playing in an Everton side which possesses better quality than that of Crystal Palace.
Although the signing of Zaha wouldn’t be as necessary as a new striker (Bernard and Richarlison are already impressing out wide), he would be a great addition as he certainly possesses the quality that Everton need to go to the next level. It’s likely that his potential arrival would push a great player (someone like Bernard) out of the starting XI. This competition and increased squad depth would certainly improve the side.
Palace will probably hold out for upwards of £65 million. This would make the transfer quite unlikely, and Everton may settle on a cheaper winger elsewhere (potentially Monaco’s Rony Lopes).
The fans are beginning to trust the work of Director of Football, Marcel Brands, and they’ll be hoping he can bring in even more great signings during the remaining days of the transfer window.
