Everton were tipped to move for Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke after Romelu Lukaku completed his move to Manchester United.
If Everton fans were concerned by their failure to replace Romelu Lukaku this summer, a dismal losing run will not have sated their concerns.
The Toffees have scored just two goals in four Premier League games and have now suffered successive 3-0 beatings, at home to Tottenham and away to Atalanta in the Europa League.
In both games, Everton looked toothless up top, Wayne Rooney struggling for influence and Sandro Ramirez failing as of yet to adapt to the pace of the English top flight. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, for all his qualities, has scored just once in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Christian Benteke is in the opposite situation at Crystal Palace. A towering targetman and one of the league’s most fearsome on his day, the Belgian battering ram has been rendered somewhat anonymous by an alarming lack of service from a side who have now gone five games without a goal at the start of the season.
Therefore, you get the feeling that the former Liverpool striker returning to Merseyside this summer, albeit on the blue half of Stanley Park, would have been a great move for both player and club.
And Benteke, whose 15 league goals kept Palace up last season, appears to be exactly the player Everton need. The Toffees are lacking a presence up top while Gylfi Sigurdsson’s expert set-piece delivery, the primary reason for his club-record signing, is of little use without a targetman like Benteke to aim for.
Instead, however, Benteke will be praying that new Palace manager Roy Hodgson at least tries to play to his strengths. Yes, we are talking about you, Frank de Boer.
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