What left for Besic after emergence of Everton’s Baningime

Follow us on Google Discover

Beni Baningime has caught the eye for Everton under interim boss David Unsworth.

David Unsworth’s attempts to land the Everton job permanently have been thrown back in his face, as his failed audition has seen him lose three matches on the spin to Chelsea, Leicester and Lyon.

The Toffees are without any team chemistry, a lack of gel that binds a team together when the going gets tough; at the moment, the Merseyside club look like a bunch of individuals rather than a collective.

However, amid the darkness, there is one shining light from Unsworth’s reign, and that is 19-year-old midfielder Beni Baningime’s performances in the middle of the park.

The teenage ace has shone for Unsworth’s side after being called up from the reserves for all three matches following Ronald Koeman’s sacking.

Everton already have an abundance of central-midfield talent in the likes of Idrissa Gueye, Morgan Schneiderlin, Tom Davies, James McCarthy and Davy Klaassen, so for Baningime to break into the side is really something.

However, one person will be ruing Baningime’s good form and that is Bosnia international Muhamed Besic. The injury-prone hot-head has plummeted down the pecking order after suffering a long-term knee problem and another name ahead of him in the pecking order is the last thing he needs.

Now likely to be ranked seventh in Unsworth’s midfield pecking order, and potentially Everton’s next manager, 25-year-old Besic’s chances of first-team football in his favoured central-midfield position are microscopic.

The former Ferencvaros midfielder came on at right-back during Everton’s 3-0 defeat to Lyon on Thursday night, and that’s the best he can hope for. Now out of the Europa League and the Carabao Cup, Besic will struggle for game time moreover.

Although he has four years remaining on his Goodison Park contract, a move elsewhere in January would benefit all parties involved. Everton would gain a fee for a player they do not need and Besic will be back playing football.