Everton were expected to be one of the most active clubs during the summer transfer window but that hasn’t been the case at all. With the injection of money from owner Farhad Moshiri and the stewardship of new manager Ronald Koeman, Everton were expected to attract big players this summer in order to bring smiles back to the faces of the fans. But in reality, it has been the exact opposite with Maarten Stekelenburg being the only major signing from the Toffees so far.
Everton have dealt a major blow with the news of Swansea City star midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson being ready to turn down Everton and put pen to paper on a new four-year contract with the Welsh club. The poster boy of Icelandic football was the key target of the Toffees this summer and now that they are all set to miss out on him, Koeman has to look for alternatives.
We thought we could give the Dutch manager a hand in his search for the perfect alternative to Sigurdsson and this article is meant for that.
Jese Rodriguez
The gap between the academy and the first team is ever-increasing at clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona and Jese Rodriguez could be a casualty of that. Despite being very highly rated, Jese has been just a squad player for the Los Blancos for too long and needs a move really soon to fulfil his potential. A complete attacker, Jese is well capable of playing on either flank, as a number ten or as a centre-forward. Everton would be an ideal destination for the Spaniard although Everton will need to stave off quite a competition for his signature.
Juan Mata
Right after Jose Mourinho was appointed by Manchester United it was almost certain that Juan Mata’s Manchester United career is pretty much over. The Spaniard could never really find his best form at Old Trafford in two and a half years at the club and is likely to be shown the exit door by the Red Devils this summer. Everton need big names to kickstart their new era and Mata fits the bill perfectly.
Dennis Praet
It is still a big surprise to see Anderlecht managing to keep hold onto a talented young player like Dennis Praet for so long although that served the Belgian’s development quite well. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has been making the headlines in Belgian Pro League for quite a few years now and it’s time for the youngster to move to a bigger stage. Praet would be the best possible alternative to Sigurdsson with the sync of his young age and immense potential that would be beneficial for Everton on a long run.
