According to Sky Sports, Everton are interested in securing the services of Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer. The Serbian international has emerged as a top target for Marco Silva following Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League in the 2018/19 campaign.
The report claims that Mitrovic is keen to play in the Premier League next season, despite Fulham’s initial wish to keep hold of the striker. This could pave the way for him to join Everton, who are prepared to undergo a squad overhaul this summer.
Everton’s apparent lack of attacking options
Everton have enjoyed a promising debut campaign under Silva this term. But, they are still lacking reliable attacking options that could help them push for the top-four next season. Star forward Cenk Tosun has struggled to make an impression in the first-team. The Turkish international featured in a little over 1,000 minutes of league football. He also faces an uncertain future at the club, with a return to Besiktas reportedly on the cards.
Dominic-Calvert Lewin impressed in the second half of the campaign. However, the youngster could only muster six league goals. As a result, the Toffees appeared over-reliant on the services of Richarlison in terms of attacking productivity.
As for Ademola Lookman, he has been a tad unlucky not to receive enough faith from the manager. The 21-year-old has featured in just over 600 minutes of Premier League football this season. Hence, the addition of a new attacker could be imperative if Everton are to make a push for a Champions League spot next season.
Where can Mitrovic fit in?
Mitrovic has impressed the onlookers with his excellent hold-up play and aerial prowess this season. The Serbian has also notched up 11 goals, which is almost one-third of what Fulham as a whole managed this entire campaign.
It is doubtful that Mitrovic will thrive in Silva’s highly tactical setup at the Merseyside. But, he offers the physical presence in the final third that could help him open up spaces for the likes of Richarlison, Bernard and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Hence, he will be able to add another dimension to the Everton attack.
Mitrovic’s aerial prowess will also aid him to score more goals for an Everton side, who boast the services of two overlapping fullbacks in Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman. Digne, in particular, has been one of the most impressive fullbacks in the league this term. And the Frenchman is more than capable of whipping in crosses for the 1.87m frame of Mitrovic.
Therefore, the Toffees should make a move for the Fulham striker as they look to bolster their attacking department. However, it will be interesting to see how much they will have to fork out for the Serbian international.
