Summary Everton focusing on summer transfer window to solve attacking problems. Potential big-money departures may ease financial concerns for the club. Interest in Sammie Szmodics could provide a solution to Everton's goalscoring issues.
Having all but secured another season in the Premier League even in the face of point deductions, Everton have turned their attention towards the summer transfer window, where they could finally end their attacking problems.
Everton transfer news
Those at Goodison Park will hope to see their push for safety followed up by some positive news regarding 777 Partners' prospective takeover, which has been awaiting Premier League approval for the majority of the campaign. Then, the Toffees could begin to think about further positives in the summer transfer window.
Dyche must sell Everton's forgotten flop who earns 2x more than McNeil
He’s only managed to find the net on one occasion for the Toffees.
ByEthan LambMay 1, 2024
For now, the headlines are still being owned by the potential departures of Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite in two big-money moves to ease Everton's financial concerns ever so slightly. The latter has enjoyed a particularly impressive campaign, attracting the interest of Tottenham Hotspur and even European giants Real Madrid as a result, though it remains to be seen if he decides to depart Everton this summer.
Those sales would at least hand Sean Dyche a summer budget of his own to spend in an attempt to solve a number of problems in his current squad, including finding a reliable goalscorer.
With that said, according to Football Transfers, Everton are eyeing a move to sign Sammie Szmodics, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship and is on course to win the Golden Boot. Scoring 25 Championship goals, Szmodics has even outscored Erling Haaland in league action, albeit in a division below, with the Manchester City star netting 21 goals so far this season.
After such an impressive year, it remains to be seen just how much Blackburn will demand for their forward, in what could quickly turn into a blow for the Toffees. Once again, 777's takeover could be crucial in pursuit of such a deal.
"Incredible" Szmodics can end Calvert-Lewin frustration
Whilst injuries haven't helped, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has quickly become a point of weakness for Everton, who have been left relying on a forward struggling to find the back of the net on a consistent basis. Szmodics, however, has been handing Blackburn the exact opposite, even as they fight for Championship survival.
Goals
25
6
Assists
4
1
Expected Goals
20.9
11.3
Key Passes
48
17
What's most concerning about these numbers is Calvert-Lewin's expected goals against the number of goals that he's actually managed so far this season. The numbers indicate that the Everton forward is underperforming significantly, whereas Szmodics is overperforming. And that's the difference in quality that the Blackburn star can provide.
Former Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson knew all about that quality, previously praising Szmodics, saying (via Limerick Live): "After Christmas last season, I think he’s been really good for Rovers and after the summer holiday, he’s been extremely good. He’s also added those goals.
"We always know he can score goals but he’s not used to playing a lot of games at this level first of all, he played with Peterborough but not a lot. The way he’s scoring goals, the confidence he’s playing with and the role he takes as one of the senior players is quite incredible."