It’s a saying as old as time itself – beware the temptation of a tournament signing.
Over the years, countless Premier League clubs have found out the hard way a stellar showing at a World Cup, Copa America or European Championships is no guarantee a player will be able to thrive in the hustle and bustle of English football.
Kleberson, for instance, was a disaster at Manchester United after helping Brazil conquer the globe in 2002. El Hadji Diouf’s time at Liverpool will be remembered more for his unseemly relationship with opposition fans than his goalscoring ability.
And Newcastle United fans could be forgiven for wiping the bouncing blond quiff of Stephane Guivarc’h from memory.
A warning, then, for Everton as they consider a £26 million move for a striker who became the toast of Europe on Monday night, the unexpected hero of this heart-stopping tournament.
Is Switzerland hero Seferovic heading to Everton?
Less than 24 hours after Haris Seferovic helped Switzerland knock reigning world champions France out of Euro 2020 following a six-goal thriller – finding the net twice with bullet headers – Corrieo de Manha reported Everton had made contact with Benfica regarding a potential move to Merseyside.
Benfica, looking to cash in, have raised Seferovic’s value from £13 million before the tournament to £26 million.
However, we shouldn’t be too quick to tar Seferovic with the same brush as Kleberson.
That unexpected brace against France may overshadow a previously dismal tournament record – Seferovic has scored more than 11 goals in a single campaign only twice in his long club career – but the journeyman forward may be perfectly suited to a Rafa Benitez side.
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During his recent years in management, Benitez has often preferred a physical number nine capable of running the channels, linking play, holding up the ball and offering a useful outlet in the final third. Take Salomon Rondon at Newcastle, for example, or a latter-day Fernando Torres at Chelsea.
Seferovic move makes sense
And Seferovic ticks a lot of those boxes.
If he can add goals to his game on a more regular basis – for all his doubters, he’s scored 27 and 26 in two of his past three seasons – all the better.
Yes, Seferovic would undoubtedly be a ‘tournament signing’, his price tag and reputation inflated by a few good performances in an isolated competition.
But he’d also arrive at Everton at the peak of his powers, more lethal than ever and ideally suited to Benitez’s game plan.
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