Everton can unlock striker problem as England star goes on the market

Everton’s problems in the striker department have been made well known, with both Thierno Barry and Beto failing to fire.

The pair, who were signed for a combined €55 million, have contributed only three goals across all competitions this season, despite playing a combined total of more than 1600 minutes.

Although David Moyes has guided Everton to the top half of the Premier League, it has been achieved with one of the lowest goal tallies in the whole league. Ahead of the home clash with Arsenal, they had netted only 18 times – a figure that only Nottingham Forest and Wolves had failed to at least match.

Everton’s January plans

January presents an opportunity for the Scot to strengthen his ranks, and it is one he will hope to make use of.

The full-back area is naturally one he will wish to address, but there is also an expectation that Everton’s attack will be reinforced.

Rather than trying to tackle the issue by signing another forward, the Toffees should consider improving their firepower by signing Angel Gomes from Marseille in a move that could help to unlock the forward line.

Gomes has not formally been put on the transfer market by OM, yet L’Equipe reports that he will be made available to leave after struggling for game time in recent weeks after arriving on a free transfer from Lille in the summer.

A creative specialist, the 25-year-old would help generate opportunities for the forwards, who have been broadly starved of opportunities. Indeed, the pair rank only joint fifth among Everton players when it comes to Premier League shots this season.

There is much to suggest a deal would be a smart move for both player and club.

Why Everton have to target Angel Gomes

Gomes fits like a glove for Everton, according to data analytics experts SciSports. Its Career Advice tool gives the Toffees a Club Fit score of 77 for the former Manchester United youth. Crucially, it suggests that Gomes would be given healthy playing time in a style that is well-suited to him.

Able to play as a No.8 or a 10, he will have half an eye on reaching Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, and while this seems like a long shot at the moment, a strong spell of Premier League form under the nose of the German would be hard to ignore. Everton could provide him the platform for this.

Financing the deal is unlikely to be a major issue. With Marseille reportedly open to a deal in January, there is the potential for a loan to be brokered. Gomes’ Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €17.4m, so if Moyes were particularly sweet on him, a comparative bargain is possible.

With January a notoriously bad time to be trying to pick up strikers, Everton should be looking at alternative ways to improve their attacking options, and Gomes offers the possibility of a low-cost, high-quality improvement who could significantly improve their chances of doing just that.

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