Harry Redknapp feels Frank Lampard has ‘a problem’ at Everton if Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out with an injury. So, he urges the Goodison Park hierarchy to land a transfer for a striker.
The Toffees visit West Ham United this Saturday in a crucial match at the wrong end of the Premier League table. Everton only sit 19th in the standings and one place below the Irons. The two teams have also produced the second-worst offence in the division with 15 goals.
Only Wolves (12) have scored fewer goals than the Merseyside and east London outfits so far this season. Calvert-Lewin has further only offered Lampard one goal over nine outings through Everton’s 19 fixtures. Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray (3) are their top scorers.
Harry Redknapp urges Everton to sign a backup to Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Fellow Toffees striker Neal Maupay has also only scored once over 13 appearances since a £15m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion last August. While Salomon Rondon did not hit home over seven outings for 104 minutes before Everton agreed to terminate his contract.
Lampard has only been able to start Calvert-Lewin during seven of his nine appearances so far this term, as well. The Blues boss was without the 25-year-old for the first eight fixtures of their campaign after the 11-cap England star suffered a knee injury in training in August.
Calvert-Lewin also only started in 15 of his 17 Premier League appearances last season due to the Everton forward’s injuries. So, Redknapp urges Everton to spend, telling talkSPORT:
“If the centre-forward’s not fit, he’s got a problem. He hasn’t got a goalscorer to come off the bench. They don’t look like they’re spending any money in the window – they haven’t brought anybody in yet. They’ve got to do something, surely, and have a go.”
Villarreal have now agreed to send Arnaut Danjuma to Goodison Park on loan
Everton have recalled Ellis Simms from his loan transfer at Sunderland to replace Rondon and compete with Calvert-Lewin and Maupay. But Lampard has only afforded the 22-year-old 15 minutes over two top-flight outings. He also did not play in the FA Cup third round.
Lampard further faces a fight to keep Calvert-Lewin at Everton during the January transfer window. The Sun reports that Goodison chiefs are braced for bids. Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is also eying a £35m offer for the forward having marked him as a top target.
Everton have explored transfers for strikers, themselves, with 90min citing an approach to Coventry City for Viktor Gyokeres. The Express also cites Ben Brereton Diaz but reports the Blackburn Rovers forward is set to join Villarreal, instead. Yet one forward may soon arrive.
Villarreal have now agreed to send Arnaut Danjuma to Everton on loan without any option to buy, per Fabrizio Romano. The Dutch dynamo will now undergo his medical on Saturday morning. He had fallen out of favour this term with two goals over 10 La Liga games so far.
Danjuma joining Everton will offer Lampard further cover for Calvert-Lewin in case of any injury or transfer. It will also solve the key concern that Redknapp voiced having watched the Toffees struggle when without the Sheffield native, who cost just £1.5m back in 2016.
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