Everton are currently facing a very precarious situation in the Premier League, having lost four of their first seven matches in the campaign so far this season. They have managed to score only four goals so far this term, with no one else other than Wayne Rooney and Oumar Niasse registering their names on the scoresheet for the side so far.
The situation is gravely disappointing for the Merseyside club, who spent a good sum in the summer transfer window to add a number of players to their side. Their transfer activity included names like Sandro Ramirez and Henry Onyekuru, with the high flying Spaniard not being able to notch up a single goal so far this season.
Talking of Onyekuru, however, the Toffees had no other option but to send him on loan to the Belgian side Anderlecht, where he has made a good start to life, having found the back of the net five times so far since the inception of the current season in the Belgian league.
Everton signed him from another Belgian club Eupen, as FIFA prevented them from adding him to their squad due to some complex rules that were meant to restrict clubs from using a player who has not made 75% appearance for his country so far. Also, the fact that his national team Nigeria are placed at the 54th position in FIFA rankings is also a factor which keeps him away from the Everton squad.
However, with their side in dire straits, the Toffees might be compelled to use the “Special Talent” argument to bring back Onyekuru and add some much-needed firepower. By this, a team can use a player who is not eligible by the aforementioned FIFA rules to be granted permission to play.
Known for his brilliant runs down the flank and through the heart of the pitch into the final third, the Nigerian international can be a handful for Everton and help them score goals, which is an impending problem at Goodison Park at the moment.
Though it might be a tough ask for the youngster to perform right from the word go after he arrives at Goodison Park in January, gaffer Ronald Koeman is confident that the Nigerian forward can pull it off and help them get back into the competition.
Confirmation that the player will be back at the Goodison Park in January might provide an air of relief for the Dutch manager. However, whether Onyekuru will be deployed straight away in the first team or not might be a matter of contention for the wily tactician. In fact, if he can even return to England is a question that will only be answered after the turn of the year.
But do you think Onyekuru can aid Everton’s second half of the campaign?
