Everton reportedly considered Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia as a potential replacement for Romelu Lukaku.
The critics should go easy on Jonathan Kodjia despite the Aston Villa striker’s goal tally standing at just one in eight Championship appearances in 2017/18.
The Ivorian international missed the start of the season with a broken ankle after all – and it’s not as if you can immediately rediscover that golden touch after such a serious and prolonged problem.
Nonetheless, if Kodjia is to be taken seriously as a potential answer to Everton’s goalscoring problems before the January transfer window creaks open in two months’ time, he must find the form that made him one of the Championship’s most feared strikers in 2016/17
The Birmingham Mail reported in September that Kodjia had emerged as a contender to replace Romelu Lukaku at Everton. The Toffees have struggled for goals all season and their dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Watford on Saturday took their tally to a miserable ten in ten Premier League games.
Everton’s interest was justifiable at the time. Kodjia, who became the Championship’s record signing in 2016 when he swapped Bristol City for Aston Villa for £15 million (Sky Sports), backed up that price-tag with a tally of 19 goals in 36 games last season.
It goes without saying then, that Villa would be after quite the profit if they were willing to part with arguably the most valuable asset in their squad.
Though Kodjia’s injury affected tally of one goal throughout the current campaign could encourage The Toffees to pursue other, more in-form striking options – which wouldn’t disappoint Villa fans hoping to keep hold of the powerful frontman.
If the 28-year-old is to get his big break in the Premier League, he has two months to hit the goal trail.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
