Did Everton miss a trick by not signing now-Southampton star Mario Lemina?
Everton’s 5-1 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday exposed more problems for Sam Allardyce’s side and fans should be worried about their midfield options.
The Toffees’ defence conceded four goals inside 37 minutes and it doesn’t reflect well on the two men who were charged with the task of protecting that back four: Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin.
Both looked horrendously off the pace – especially Schneiderlin – and with one of their summer targets impressing for a different Premier League side, you wonder how different Everton’s season could be had they got him instead.
Southampton beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at The Hawthorns earlier on the Saturday in a game where Mario Lemina proved his class once again and scored his first goal for the Saints.
The South-Coast outfit could have a battle to keep hold of the 24-year-old – who cost a club-record £16 million last summer after joining from Juventus (Sky Sports) – if he maintains this form until the summer, but could he have wound up on Merseyside?
According to Calciomercato, officials from the Goodison Park club met with Juventus last June over the prospect of signing him, but the Gabon international joined Southampton seven weeks later.
Everton missed out on a number of players who might have been influential for them this season – including Memphis Depay – but it’s looking more and more like Lemina also represents a missed opportunity, if the reports from Italy were accurate.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
