According to the reports from L’Equipe (via GFFN), Everton are in the race with various other clubs to sign former Manchester City player Rony Lopes. The versatile attacker currently plies his trade for Ligue 1 outfit Monaco where he joined in 2015. Along with the Merseyside club, La Liga outfits like Sevilla and Valencia are said to be interested. From the Premier League, West Ham United and Newcastle United are in the mix.
Monaco are reportedly open to selling the playmaker, and a bid of somewhere around €25-30m will do the trick. Lopes made 29 appearances in all competitions last season and contributed with four goals and two assists. The two time Portugal international spent a few years in the Manchester City youth team before making it to their senior team. The winger cum attacking midfielder was considered as one of the top young talents at the club, and he won the inaugural Academy Player of the Year award in the 2012-13 season.
However, given the plethora of talent which City had, Lopes wasn’t able to make a breakthrough. He only managed to make five senior appearances for the Citizens before being shipped away.
Does Everton need someone like Lopes?
Everton have one of the best attacking midfielders outside of the top six in the form of Gylfi Sigurdsson. Whether it comes to creating chances or scoring goals, the Iceland international has been a spectacular player for the Toffees in the past few years. However, injury have troubled him now and then, and he has gone on to miss a good chunk of the games before.
We think that having someone like Lopes in the squad will give Marco Silva more options in the attacking third. Moreover, Lopes’ versatility means that even if Sigurdsson is fit, he can play on the flanks with ease. Therefore the two times Portugal international is worth considering.
What will he add to Silva’s team?
Lopes is still just 23, and he is yet to hit his peak. However, one cannot deny the raw talent which he has at his disposal. The playmaker is a productive player in the final third and the Monaco player always looks to make things happen. He is direct in his playing style and can go past defenders because of his impressive dribbling skills. Lopes also showcases a decent pace, and his work rate will also be an asset for the club. One area where he might struggle slightly is to cope with the physicality of the Premier League.
Nevertheless, in today’s market, the price tag of €25-30m for talent like Lopes seems more than reasonable to us. Marco Silva should definitely consider signing his fellow countryman.
