Everton are getting ready for an emotional 12 months forward, with the 2024/25 season set to be the membership’s final at Goodison Park. Sean Dyche has enforced strong enhancements since taking the helm, comfortably avoiding hazard final time period – and that is regardless of an eight-point deduction within the Premier League.
Whereas the Toffees’ seemingly endless possession points are fraught with peril, PSR was efficiently swerved as monetary accord has been strengthened additional by the pending £50m sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa.
Tim Iroegbunam and Iliman Ndiaye have each been signed to the trigger already, however Everton are decidedly mild on the flanks and wish an thrilling new addition – or two.
Everton switch information
As per Football Insider, Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto is certainly one of Everton’s high targets this summer season, with the Merseysiders’ long-term curiosity more likely to come to a head within the coming weeks.
Gnonto, 20, has been the topic of discussions between the relevant outfits and has been regarded for his athletic high quality and flexibility throughout the frontline.
Everton are locked in negotiations to debate a deal, which might see a breakthrough swiftly on condition that Dyche’s facet began their pre-season schedule final weekend.
Leeds stood agency on a £30m valuation final summer season however can be willing to consider offers of £25m now, and with Newcastle United additionally sniffing round, Everton higher get the deal carried out rapidly.
The limitless pursuit of Wilfried Gnonto
Interminable would in all probability be the proper phrase to explain Everton’s efforts to signal Gnonto from Leeds. Following the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League in 2022/23, the up-and-coming Gnonto was anticipated to be one of the vital seemingly gross sales, for he was a teenage Italy worldwide with piles of expertise and plenty of suitors in addition to.
Everton have been proper on the entrance. And regardless of throwing three bids Elland Street’s method final August – the third of which tabled at £26m on deadline day 11 months in the past – he remained with Leeds as readied for all times within the second tier.
Hyperlinks haven’t light away. In January, reports stated that Everton nonetheless had the Italian on their radar and have been engaged on a deal. It did not come to fruition.
Quick and livid, the winger has been described as an “absolute nightmare for defenders” by expertise scout Jacek Kulig, along with his fleet-footed model and stocky energy making him a formidable adversary.
He began the 2023/24 marketing campaign slowly, with Daniel Farke relegating him to a subsidiary standing on the wings following his switch request final summer season, looking for to pressure a path down the M62 to Liverpool.
However he grew because the time period went on and gained his supervisor’s favour, making marked enhancements that earned him an important place on the (predominantly) proper flank.
His bursts of tempo can wrongfoot many a defender, working widdershins round his opponents as he surges inwards from the proper. This snap-jerk model earned him ample goalscoring success throughout the second half of the marketing campaign as Leeds recorded 90 factors however nonetheless completed third and misplaced to Southampton within the play-off closing.
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Wilfried Gnonto: Championship Stats 23/24 |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Apps |
19 |
20 |
|
Begins |
7 |
15 |
|
Targets |
1 |
7 |
|
Assists |
1 |
2 |
|
Stats through Transfermarkt |
||
His rare beginning motion and prolific renaissance have led to Gnonto really sealing himself as one of many Championship’s greatest statistical finishers. As per FBref, Gnonto ranked among the many high 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers within the division final season for non-penalty objectives scored (and solely the highest 21% for pictures taken, talking of high-level taking pictures), the highest 9% for progressive carries and the highest 15% for clearances per 90.
A carry is taken into account progressive if the ball is moved in the direction of the opponent’s objective at the least 10 yards from its start line or is carried into the penalty space.
Whereas he was under Premier League degree final season, the 13-cap Italy international has all the things he must bloom right into a participant of serious high quality in Dyche’s Everton squad. He have to be the precedence goal.
How Wilfried Gnonto compares to Jesper Lindstrom
Gnonto’s former coach Michael Skubala has hailed his protege as a “special player“, with a uncooked capacity on the sector that’s being formed into one thing tangibly good.
His tactical fluidity, additional to the purpose, has arrested Everton’s consideration for a while. With 47 career appearances taking part in off the striker, 29 on the left and 44 out on proper wing aged simply 20, Dyche has the items to construct a long-lasting form tailor-made to his model.
And it is because of this that he have to be signed over Jesper Lindstrom, Napoli winger and – as Soccer Insider’s above-mentioned report states – one of many Goodison Park facet’s chief targets this summer season.
Everton are believed to be considering paying £25m for the attacking midfielder this summer season, with Lindstrom looking for a route out of Italy after a disappointing season with Napoli in Serie A.
Lindstrom wasn’t actually afforded an opportunity, playing 29 times and failing to register a single objective contribution however solely beginning three matches throughout all competitions. To collate Gnonto and the 24-year-old’s information, let’s take a look at Lindstrom’s metrics in the course of the 2022/23 season, with Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.
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Wilfried Gnonto vs Jesper Lindstrom |
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|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
||
|
Matches performed |
39 |
27 |
|
Matches began |
22 |
22 |
|
Targets |
8 |
7 |
|
Assists |
3 |
2 |
|
Go completion |
83% |
68% |
|
Massive probabilities created |
5 |
4 |
|
Photographs per recreation |
1.3 |
1.7 |
|
Key passes per recreation |
0.6 |
0.7 |
|
Dribbles per recreation |
0.8 (47%) |
1.0 (35%) |
|
Duels gained per recreation |
3.4 (51%) |
2.9 (36%) |
|
Stats through Sofascore |
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The gamers in query aren’t really that dissimilar, with each adept dribblers however refraining from dribbling with regularity. Gnonto, nevertheless, is much extra technically sound in regard to his crispness, with a superior go success price and a extra artistic strategy.
Provided that Lindstrom has simply accomplished a reasonably dismal marketing campaign in Italy, in addition to the intensive scouting put towards signing Gnonto, Everton should certainly prioritise the Leeds man.
He is within the fledgling section of a profession of nice promise, and efforts have to be exhausted in bringing him to Merseyside to spice up Dyche’s hopes of rising up the Premier League desk.
Associated
Perfect for Lindstrom: Everton in talks to sign £17m Onana successor
The Toffees are battling with one other Premier League facet for his signature.
