Everton coach Franny Jeffers has told prolific youth striker Ellis Simms to monitor Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in first-team training.
Jeffers told The Liverpool Echo: ‘Going with the first-team he’ll see DCL and Richarlison and players like that who work really, really hard everyday and they are an example to him and he’s got to do that in every opportunity he gets with the first-team.’
If Simms can take aspects of the duo’s game into his own, he could become an unstoppable force in future.
In 2019, the Toffees prospect was wanted by Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich after smashing the 40-goal barrier for Everton’s Under-18 side.
He has since been promoted into the Under-23 ranks, where he has three goals in three Premier League 2 appearances this season.
Simms has also been promoted to first-team training, and The Echo state that his presence was the reason for Everton refusing to sign another striker following Moise Kean’s exit.
It sounds like the Merseysiders have a lot of faith in the teenager, and if he can extract parts of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s work rate, the Goodison Park faithful could be in store for a treat.
In Richarlison’s case, he should probably be the one who Simms watches more closely.
The Brazilian averages 2.8 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, which is the most in Everton’s ranks aside from Allan.
Both of them are industrial forwards, so if that side of the game is what Simms needs to work on, he has two great role models right in front of his eyes.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
