The Great Dane is spearheading Feyenoord’s title challenge with 18 goals and 10 assists; figures that will not have passed Everton by.
There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for Ronald Koeman being spotted in the crowd, sunglasses on and lapping up the sun, as Feyenoord battered AZ Alkmaar 5-2 on Sunday.
After all, Everton had beaten West Brom comfortably the day before so why shouldn’t the Dutchman make the short trip across the continent to watch the club he both played for and managed move ever closer to a first Eredivisie title since 1999.
However, that does not mean there won’t have been another reason for his visit.
With the club rocked by the news that Romelu Lukaku is unlikely to sign a new contract and seek a move at the end of the season, as reported by The Guardian, a new striker should be at the top of Koeman’s priorities – especially with Oumar Niasse and Arouna Kone out of favour while Enner Valencia has hardly done enough to earn a permanent move from West Ham at the end of the season.
Though the answer to Everton’s problem could be right in front of Koeman’s eyes – literally. Nicolai Jorgensen struck a clinical hat-trick in front of the Dutch legend on Sunday while setting up Feyenoord’s other two goals with perfectly weighted lay-offs.
It was the supreme centre-forward performance, one that takes his tally onto 18 goals and 10 assists in a remarkable debut season in Dutch football.
If this season has taught us anything, and yes we’re looking at you Vincent, it’s that signing a striker from the Eredivisie carries a great deal of weight. Tottenham misfit Janssen won the league’s Golden Boot just last season after all.
However, Jorgensen also bullied Manchester United’s defenders into submission in the Europa League earlier in the season, netting the winner in Rotterdam and proving that he can step up against superior opposition.
Suddenly, news of Koeman’s visit may be viewed in a slightly different light.
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