This £26m-rated upgrade could be just what Dyche needs to get Everton firing.
Everton, who had previously performed admirably to emerge from the Premier League’s bottom three after being docked ten points for violating FFP regulations back in November, is currently on a four-match losing streak and perilously sits just one point above the relegation zone.
Sean Dyche’s main concern, though, will be his team’s lack of offensive power. The Toffees lead just five clubs in goals scored so far this season, and the manager is allegedly eager to address this during the winter transfer window.
Ignazio Genuardi reported last week that Everton is eager to acquire Iliman Ndiaye, an attacker for Marseille, before the January transfer window closes. The forward will compete with Crystal Palace and his old team, Sheffield United, for his services.
The Senegalese attacker, whose current CIES Football Observatory valuation is £26 million, is reportedly only interested in a permanent deal, according to the journalist, who also claims that the French team is unwilling to send him out on loan.
Ndiaye left the Blades for £20 million in the summer transfer window after winning Player of the Year and helping the team get back into the Premier League. Despite his high expectations, his tenure at the Stade Velodrome hasn’t gone as planned; in 23 appearances across all competitions, he’s only managed three assists and one goal for the French powerhouses.
However, a return to England may now be imminent, and Everton ought to make every effort to be at the top of the waiting list.
With six goals in 20 appearances this season, midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure is the club’s best goalscorer, which may be the biggest criticism of Everton’s campaign thus far. The Malian has perhaps been the Toffees’ greatest player thus far this season. Everton has lost all four of its games since Doucoure has missed them, and in that time, the team has only scored three goals.
With four goals, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is second on the team’s scoring list, one goal behind £26 million summer acquisition Beto. This season, the latter has likely been the biggest letdown. The Portuguese striker was brought in to lead the line in Calvert-Lewin’s absence, as the former was out for significant portions of Dyche’s tenure due to recurrent injuries. But 19 appearances and three goals portray a different image.
Despite having all the makings of a Dyche center-forward, especially his 6′ 4″ stature, the 25-year-old hasn’t yet found his groove at Goodison Park. However, Ndiaye, who is just under 6 feet tall, seems like a much better fit for Everton because of his ability to score goals as well as to connect the play front to back as well.
Despite playing in the second division, Ndiaye’s statistics from the current season are leagues better than Beto’s in his last season of English football.
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