Everton are in desperate need of a striker as Deadline Day looms over Goodison Park with just one week left to find the right replacement to cover Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s absence, and now a reliable source has given an update on a potential target.
What’s the latest?
According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Frank Lampard is set to “decide” on whether to make an approach for Ben Brereton Diaz.
Romano tweeted:
“Everton are also working on Ben Brereton Díaz deal – Lampard has to decide if he wants him or not. #EFC”
Dream Calvert-Lewin alternative
There is no doubt that the Everton boss will be desperate to bring in a player who can make a big impact in the forward line as the Toffees remain winless in the Premier League after three games.
Following a difficult relegation scrap last season, Richarlison’s move to Tottenham Hotspur and Calvert-Lewin’s injury issues, the Toffees have found themselves in a sticky situation and with just one point tallied up on the league table the slippery slope to another bottom of the table battle is looking quite possible at this point.
Despite only converting two chances so far this season, Everton have had no trouble in creating chances with 42 shots on goal so far which has made the glaringly obvious gaping hole in their forward-line even bigger, something that Lampard can fix with the addition of Brereton Diaz.
A striker who can finish the chances being created on the blue side of Merseyside would surely put Everton in a much better position to take points from their games ahead and keep them safe from any kind of relegation worries.
The Blackburn Rovers striker has had no trouble finding the back of the net in the Championship with 22 goals and three assists over last season and those numbers don’t appear to be drying up as he has already scored two goals and delivered one assist over five appearances this season too.
Although he is most often deployed as a centre-forward, Brereton Diaz can offer Everton more than just a stop gap for Calvert-Lewin’s absence but also a strike partner too as the Chile international has a lot of experience playing in the winger roles too with 84 appearances combined in the wider positions.
Rovers have reportedly set an asking price at £20m to let go of their star player, who was hailed a “standout talent” by Jacque Talbot, and it could be a really worthwhile investment to the Toffees considering his versatility in positioning which would add depth to Lampard’s options in the attacking third.
With that being said, the signing of Brereton Diaz would be a great piece of business for Everton to get more for their money on a player who could become a part of the first team permanently instead of just signing a Calvin-Lewin replacement to cover for the next few weeks.