EVERTON COULD SIGN 25M "NIGHTMARE" WHO'D BE UNPLAYABLE WITH LINDSTROM
Everton are battling against ominous external forces this summer but Sean Dyche and his transfer team are working hard to reinforce the first team after impressive work last season.
Despite an eight-point deduction in the Premier League for financial breaches, the Toffees comfortably finished in 15th, and while avoiding relegation will be the first port of call this term, there is cautious optimism that the talented crop can push toward the upper end of the top-flight table.
But with Amadou Onana sold to Aston Villa for £50m after Andre Gomes, Ben Godfrey and Lewis Dobbin previously took their leave from Goodison Park, signings are needed.
Everton transfer news
Everton have already welcomed Tim Iroegbunam and Iliman Ndiaye to the fold but more is projected to be happening on the blue side of the River Mersey.
Jesper Lindstrom is closing on a move too, but Dyche must ensure that the attacking influx does not stop there, with a report from Football Insider earlier this week claiming that Wilfried Gnonto is also on the radar.
It's written that Everton are not going to close the door on attacking additions after Lindstrom is formally welcomed, with preliminary talks held over signing the Leeds United dynamo.
Everton failed with three bids to sign Gnonto last summer, the third of which - £26m - fell short of the £30m asking price, but after failing to restore Premier League status last year, the Whites would now entertain offers of £25m for their versatile forward.
Imagine Wilfried Gnonto & Jesper Lindstrom
Gnonto enjoyed intermittent success in the 2022/23 Premier League season, notching six goal contributions across 14 starts, and he's now ready for a second shot at the big time after sharpening his tools in the second tier.
Still only 20, the bundling winger grew in importance under Daniel Farke last season, playing a core part in the Elland Road side's third-place finish across the second half of the season, making good on past praise from talent scout Jacek Kulig that he's an "absolute nightmare for defenders."
| Wilfried Gnonto: Championship Stats 23/24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistic | 2023 | 2024 |
| Apps | 19 | 20 |
| Starts | 7 | 15 |
| Goals | 1 | 7 |
| Assists | 1 | 2 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt |
Ranking among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Championship last season for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, he would bring the perfect element of electricity to lift Everton to another level, with such ball-carrying prowess even set to forge a partnership with Lindstrom.
Lindstrom is positionally fluid like Gnonto and demonstrated his aptitude across both flanks for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany over a number of years. Last season, he transferred to Napoli in Serie A but fell by the wayside, unable to play more than a minute role and starting just three times across all competitions, unable to score or assist.
Still, demonstrably one of the most creative and progressive flankers in the Bundesliga previously, the 23-year-old ranked among the top 19% of positional peers in the division during the 2021/22 campaign for shot-creating actions and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.
Just imagine the injection of pace and dynamism to an Everton side already steeped in resilient, gritty togetherness. Dyche could land a masterful boost to his Toffees team's hopes of bettering last season's success with this double deal, and he must now get both done.
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