Everton lost out to Arsenal in their Perez pursuit.
Everton were in for Lucas Perez this summer but were pipped to the post by Arsenal, their majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri confirmed to Talksport on Monday.
Perez was one of the 2015-16 season’s unexpected stars, scoring 19 goals in all competitions – an increase of 13 on the previous campaign.
His pace, power and slight frame earned him comparisons with Jamie Vardy – himself an unlikely success story – so much so that Leicester were keen to sign him were the England striker to depart, funnily enough for Arsenal.
Vardy ultimately rejected that move, however, prompting Arsenal to switch targets, and even though Everton’s Steve Walsh seemingly carried over his interest in Perez from his previous job as Leicester’s head of recruitment, the Toffees left it too late, allowing the north London side to snare Perez in a £17 million deadline day deal.
Still needing reinforcements, Everton somewhat desperately turned to West Ham’s Enner Valencia on loan, but the Ecuadorian is yet to score in four outings so far and has only appeared in one of the last four.
Meanwhile, over in Italy, another previously unprolific forward has recently discovered his shooting boots. Sassuolo’s Gregoire Defrel has nine goals to his name so far, already equalling his highest ever seasonal tally.
Like Perez, the Frenchman possesses pace and power in abundance and has a precise left foot to match. He can also play on either flank, and either as or behind as central striker, and comes with the added bonus of not being one to shirk his defensive duties. The perfect match, perhaps, for Everton and their disciplinarian boss, Ronald Koeman.
Defrel’s displays are said to have caught the eye of Liverpool scouts, but if Everton move quickly, unlike with Perez, this time they might just get their man.
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