According to a recent report by Sky Sports, Everton are among several clubs hoping to recruit Olympique Lyonnais winger Bertrand Traore this summer. The same source has also stated that the Toffees will face stiff competition from Newcastle United, Leicester City and Crystal Palace in pursuit of the former Chelsea attacker in this off-season.
Traore’s Eye-Catching Season For Lyon
The 24-year-old has enjoyed another impressive season at Lyon after putting in a series of productive displays on the right side of Rudi Garcia’s attack. He has made 35 appearances for the French giants this term, netting four goals and providing five assists in all competitions which showcases his growing influence at the Groupama Stadium.
Traore has done well to contribute at both ends of the field as evident from his average of 1.0 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.6 clearances, 1.6 shots, 1.1 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per game in the Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League this season. He has even been accurate with his ball-distribution after completing 82.2% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
The ex-Eredivisie wing wizard has secured 52 senior caps for Burkina Faso, scoring eight goals for his homeland in the process. Maybe a change of scenery this summer could help him take his game to the next level for both his club and country in the coming years.
What Will The Lyon Winger Add To Carlo Ancelotti’s Team?
Traore is one of the quickest players in the Ligue 1 and can use his pace to make some dangerous dribbles down the right flank. He has scored and created his fair share of goals for Lyon this season and could help his team book a place in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League if they can pull off an upset versus Manchester City later this month.
The Burkina Faso international works hard in providing a solid defensive shift inside his half which makes him a useful player out on the right-wing. However, he needs to improve his end-product in the final third if he wants to break into the world-class bracket someday. The former Ajax playmaker is highly versatile as he is primarily a right-winger, but can also fill in as an attacking midfielder or play as a centre-forward up top.
At 24, Traore is about to enter the prime stage of his football career, so Carlo Ancelotti will be eager to get the best out of him in the coming seasons if he can successfully lure him to Goodison Park this summer. He will not only bring more goals and assists to Merseyside but also enhance the quality of the Everton first XI next season. Furthermore, he will be an upgrade over Theo Walcott, Alex Iwobi, Anthony Gordon and Bernard out on the wide areas. Therefore, it makes sense for the Toffees to splash the cash to recruit Traore before the start of the new campaign.
