Injury-hit striker hasn’t played a minute since Everton had £23m bid accepted

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Sean Dyche, speaking back in November following a sluggish start to life in the Premier League for Beto, was keen to preach for patience with his £25 million summer signing. 

“He has come to a new club. He is raw, he is rough and ready, but he is working hard at his game,” Dyche told the Liverpool Echo, Beto’s fine debut performance against Sheffield United something of a false dawn so far. 

“I think there is a lot of improvement to come. He is adapting to the Premier League it is different. He came in and hit the ground running.”

But at least Beto has had the chance to ’hit the ground running’. You certainly cannot say similar of the striker Everton initially tried and failed to sign before bringing Beto to Merseyside from Udinese at the end of August, The Toffees seeing a £23 million bid accepted by La Liga outfit UD Almeria before El Bilal Toure opted for Atalanta instead (i News). 

Everton missed out on El Bilal Toure

Toure, who saw Everton’s interest confirmed by Almeria’s CEO back in July, has not played a minute of football for his new Serie A employers. That is the result of a serious tendon injury he suffered only weeks after putting pen to paper on a long-term contract. 

Atalanta chief Luca Percassi, meanwhile, is not expecting Toure – the club’s record signing – to return in time for Christmas either, with a January recovery the best-case scenario.

“I believe he will be back training with the squad from January,” Percassi tells Sky Sports Italia. “And then naturally it will be a process of making a full recovery.” 

Atalanta striker still awaiting Serie A debut

The powerful Toure scored seven La Liga goals in his breakout season at Atalanta, including a winner against none other than Spanish champions Barcelona. 

“He was very eager to get started and the spotlight was on him due to the expensive transfer,” sighed La Dea coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the extent of Toure’s issue became clear (Football Italia).  

“But nobody expected this type of injury.”