Everton will be hoping for a drama-free Premier League season after suffering numerous point deductions during the previous one.
Despite these ongoing concerns, Sean Dyche’s team was still able to stay afloat as they finished the season 14 points above the drop zone in the last match, led by the former Burnley manager.
The tenacious Toffees did, however, only muster a meagre 40 goals in 38 league games; therefore, strengthening the team’s offensive line should be a top priority throughout the summer season.
Everton eyeing a star from the Championship
In an attempt to increase the energy at Goodison Park, Everton is reportedly considering a summer bid for explosive Championship player Jaden Philogene-Bidace, according to a recent Daily Mail article.
The 5 foot 11 maverick from Hull City regularly tricked lower-division defences during his time with the Tigers last season. However, even though his skill earned him a lot of praise, his employers were not able to advance, and he now finds a move to the top division appealing..
Previously at the level with Aston Villa, who must rue allowing him to move onto Hull with hindsight on side, Everton could also view a move for Philogene as the next best thing after previously eyeing up Yankuba Minteh.
With Brighton and Hove Albion reportedly agreeing on a £30m deal for the Newcastle United man, the Toffees could bounce back from this transfer going awry by going full steam ahead on a move for the entertaining Hull attacker instead.
What Everton will receive from Philogene
Unlike Minteh who primarily operates down the right channel, Philogene is more comfortable playing down the left flank, which is arguably more of a problem area for the Merseysiders heading into next season.
Everton only really have Dwight McNeil in this position to call upon, after Lewis Dobbin’s surprise exit to Aston Villa, with the Toffees already bolstering down the right wing this window with the return of Jack Harrison on another season-long loan deal from Leeds United.
| Philogene’s FBRef stats from the last year vs Minteh’s | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat – per 90 mins | Philogene | Minteh |
| Shots total | 3.69 | 3.46 |
| Shot-creating actions | 4.04 | 5.81 |
| Progressive passes | 2.73 | 2.47 |
| Progressive carries | 4.88 | 7.85 |
| Successful take-ons | 2.79 | 3.65 |
| Touches in attacking penalty area | 5.77 | 9.89 |
| Progressive passes received | 10.78 | 16.32 |
| Stats by FBRef | ||
Looking at the table above, one could argue that Minteh, the current Hull winger, has proven he can be exciting and daring in a far more difficult division in the Championship, compared to his counterpart’s exploits out on loan in the Eredivisie with Feyenoord. This is despite the fact that Minteh does blow Philogene out of the water in many of their comparative attacking statistics over the last year.
A greater value for Everton’s money, Philogene’s stellar 12-goal output for the Tigers actually surpasses Minteh’s 11 goals for the entire season. Dyche and Co. are apparently considering a £16 million move for Philogene, while Minteh is valued at £30 million.
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