According to a recent report by the Daily Star, Everton have sent scouts to catch Gelson Martins in action for his new club Atletico Madrid following his free transfer from Sporting CP earlier this summer. The Portuguese talent has already put in a few eye-catching displays in the La Liga which has caught the attention of a number of English clubs which include the Toffees.
The Rise Of Gelson Martins
Martins started his career at Futebol Benfica, before completing a switch to the Sporting academy back in 2010. He worked his way up the youth levels of Sporting CP before graduating and being promoted to play for their B team. It took him just a year to prove his worth and take another step up the ladder to join the Sporting CP senior team where he enjoyed a fantastic debut season with seven goals in 42 matches for the Portuguese giants.
Recent Success And Complications
The Portuguese starlet had an outstanding campaign last season when he scored 13 goals and provided 13 assists in 52 matches for Sporting CP across all competitions. However, he decided to terminate his contract with the Portuguese club after 50 Sporting supporters invaded the club’s training centre and assaulted players. Diego Simeone’s side decided to offer him a contract after Martins became a free agent earlier this summer.
What Does Martins Offer To The Toffees?
The 23-year-old is extremely fast and is highly versatile. He can operate on either flank and can dribble with the ball out of tight situations to cause some damage in the final third. The Portuguese sensation is a classic old-fashioned wide man who likes to beat his man and put in crosses from wide areas. He is also a willing runner off the ball which could benefit Marco Silva’s team. His defensive work-rate of 1.8 tackles per match in the 2016/17 campaign was the sixth-best tally in the Sporting squad which shows exactly how much of a workhorse he can be!
Will Martins Be A Right Fit For Everton?
Silva loves to opt for a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation so the Merseyside club could potentially deploy Martins anywhere behind the front striker which makes him a worthy addition. The Portuguese youngster’s pace and trickery would only add more firepower to the Toffees’ attack which is always welcome for a club like Everton as they aim to break into the Top 6 in the near future.
If the possibility arises, the Everton manager should do everything in his power to recruit Martins as he is a raw talent who can flourish with regular first-team chances at Goodison Park.
