Everton manager Ronald Koeman states that the club have to bring another striker in during the transfer window.
Speaking to ITV on Thursday evening, July 28 after Everton’s narrow 1-0 win over Slovakian side MFK Ruzomberok in the Europa League Qualifying Third Round, Everton boss Ronald Koeman admitted what many fans will have thought: “Yeah, we need another striker. We are currently looking for the best option.”
The issue is so pertinent as Everton are desperate to replace the void of goals left by Romelu Lukaku’s departure to Manchester United, 25 of them in fact in last season’s Premier League alone.
Local hero and global superstar Wayne Rooney came to Goodison Park in the other direction, but the days of Rooney marauding through defences from centre-forward seem to be long gone and another attacking option seems essential.
Koeman acknowledges this fact and remains upbeat on finding a solution, telling ITV: “We are really confident we can bring in a striker, one that can best help the team.”
Everton have also signed striker Sandro Ramirez from Malaga for a fee of just over £5m, but whether the 22-year-old is ready to carry the full weight of Everton’s goal-scoring on his shoulders remains to be seen.
Such a burden needs to be shared amongst the midfielders too, hence the need to add quality in those areas – something else the Dutch manager has recognised.
The man who has been identified by Koeman to help perform that task is Gylfi Sigurdsson – Everton have already had a £45m bid for the Swansea play-maker rejected, as per The Guardian.
Koeman wouldn’t be drawn on whether he would reach Swansea’s £50m price tag for the Iceland international, but remained hopeful: “Everybody knows our interest in the player. It is up to the board to make it happen.”
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