It is the first day of February today but the January transfer window does not officially slam shut until Monday, which means that Everton still have time to bolster their squad.
David Moyes could look to bring in reinforcements before the deadline passes, despite a strong start to life at Goodison Park after his return to the club last month.
The former West Ham United head coach has won two of his three Premier League matches in charge of the Toffees so far, beating Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Moyes, however, suffered two big injury blows in the most recent match, against Brighton, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set for weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury and Orel Mangala has returned to Lyon after a season-ending ACL blow.
Those issues may force Everton to reconsider what they want to do before the window slams shut next week, as they are now short up front and in the middle of the park.
However, the Toffees could, still, look at other positions to strengthen the team ahead of the second half of the season and could be opportunistic with any deals that may become available.
Everton offered Serie A forward
As such, an opportunity for the Premier League side to bring in a new winger to compete for a place in Moyes’ team has reportedly emerged.
According to Calcio Mercato, as relayed by Sport Witness, AC Milan have offered Everton the chance to sign Nigeria international Samuel Chukwueze before the end of the window.
The report claims that the Toffees, Tottenham Hotspur, and Crystal Palace have all been made aware of the winger’s availability and that they are free to make a move for him, although it is not made clear if any of those three teams have a firm interest in signing him at this point.
It adds that Real Sociedad and Newcastle United also have a ‘concrete’ interest in the forward, which means that there could be plenty of competition for his services in the coming days.
The outlet reveals that AC Milan are keen to move the 25-year-old whiz on before the deadline, and want to cash in on him, but it does not state how much the Italian side want for his signature, only that Chukwueze is available on ‘favourable terms’ – suggesting that they are not going to charge an extortionate fee.
Transfer Focus
It still remains to be seen whether or not, though, Everton are willing to take up this opportunity to sign Chukwueze, but it could be an interesting one for them to consider before the deadline, because he could come in as an upgrade on what Moyes currently has.
The Milan winger predominantly plays on the right side of the attack and that is where Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison, who has struggled this season, usually operates.
Jack Harrison's form this season
The 28-year-old attacker spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan from Leeds and contributed with three goals and three assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League.
Harrison then rejoined the club on loan again in the summer but has yet to register a single goal or assist in the top-flight in the current season for the Toffees.
The left-footed winger has started 12 of his 18 appearances in the Premier League so far this term and has done little to justify his continued inclusion in the starting XIs moving forward, which has been spotted by Moyes – who has left him as an unused substitute in the last two games.
Appearances (starts)
18 (12)
xG
2.21
Goals
0
Key passes per game
0.8
Assists
0
As you can see in the table above, Harrison has significantly underperformed against his xG, failing to score from more than two Expected Goals, and has not recorded a single assist.
These statistics illustrate how poorly the English wide man has performed and why Everton could secure a big upgrade on him by bringing in a new winger to take his spot in the squad.
Why Chukwueze could be a big upgrade on Harrison
This is why the Toffees should consider taking up the chance to sign Chukwueze from Milan before the end of the window, because he could improve Moyes’ options in the wide areas.
Unlike Harrison, the Nigerian forward has found the back of the net at league level this season. He has scored two goals and created three ‘big chances’ in 18 appearances, and nine starts, in the Serie A.
These statistics suggest that Chukwueze could come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Everton man in the final third, despite his form for Milan not reflecting his true potential.
The 25-year-old star, who was described as a “permanent threat” by ex-boss Quique Setien, produced one goal and three assists in 24 league games last term for Milan, in what has been a difficult period for him in Italy.
However, his performances for Villarreal in the previous season in Spain, prior to his move to Milan in the summer of 2023, illustrate just how good he could be for Everton.
Starts
27
7
Goals
6
2
Big chances created
6
1
Key passes per game
1.2
1.1
Assists
5
3
As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian playmaker caught the eye for the Spanish side in LaLiga and the Conference League, with his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the right wing.
Chukwueze, who racked up 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign, showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, which shows that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition for the Toffees.
It would not take much for a player to be a big upgrade on Harrison’s performances this season, given his dreadful return of zero goal contributions, but the Milan outcast appears to have the attributes to be a worthwhile gamble as an improvement for Moyes on the right wing.
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