If the one gaping hole in Everton’s squad is a speedy runner in attack, Ademola Lookman looks ready to be the man to step in.
As Everton prepared to splash the cash this summer, five young stars on the club’s books were in South Korea lifting England to U20 World Cup glory.
And while an array of new men find their feet at Goodison Park, the likes of Ademola Lookman and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been given the opportunity to make their case for a place in the first team this season.
Against Hajduk Split on Thursday night, Lookman made a pretty convincing argument.
With Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku replaced in Ronald Koeman’s team by the rather more ponderous figures of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney – and Yannick Bolasie still injured – the lack of pace in the squad is a concern for Toffees fans.
In the first leg of the Europa League play-off round tie, that was hardly evident as Lookman tore through the Hajduk defence time after time.
Stationed on the right to allow Rooney a striking berth, the 19-year-old, signed from Charlton Athletic in January, was Everton’s star man as his rocket-fuelled runs created numerous openings.
And his team-mates knew it, too; Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Gueye and each member of the Everton back line – including Jordan Pickford – sought out Lookman at every opportunity as his pace propelled the side forward.
Everton will face tougher opponents in the Premier League this term, but Lookman’s display suggests that he deserves a chance – at least until Koeman can identify a similarly speedy alternative.
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