Despite Everton’s impressive start to the season, questions remain over the future of a number of their players. The Street End takes a look at the prospects of a number of Toffees and ask which of them may leave Goodison Park in the January transfer window.
Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman made his long awaited return to the starting 11 last week against Newcastle. Evertonians gave him a rousing reception to show the young forward that they do not want him to leave for Germany. He showed flashes of brilliance in his 78 minutes on the pitch but looked well short of match practise. The Londoner gave simple balls away on a number of occasions but also played in a few dangerous crosses. Lookman laboured but could not find a way through in as Everton struggled to find a way past a resolute Newcastle defence. He may find himself back on the bench when Everton play Watford on Monday night.
Match practise is the key for the gifted England under 20 World Cup winner. He has made 8 starts for Everton since joining in January 2017. Lookman has made a further 20 substitute appearances for the blues, scoring 3 goals and assisting twice. The former Charlton man looks dangerous as a substitute, using his close ball control skills to run at tired defenders. There is definitely a player in there but will he emerge at Everton?
The arrival of Bernard and Walcott over the last year has made Lookman’s task difficult. Ralf Rangnick and RB Leipzig remain interested in him and were prepared to pay £25 million last summer. The decision is Marco Silva’s to make. Does he allow the youngster to learn in the first team and make his mistakes at the Premier League level? Will he allow the player to go out on loan again, possibly at a Premier League club where he could play regularly? Or is it time for Silva to cut his losses and bring in the finished article?
Cenk Tosun
How do you solve a problem like Cenk Tosun? Sam Allardyce brought the Turkish international in to be the answer to Everton’s goal scoring problems. Tosun has an excellent scoring record in Turkey, where he scored just under a goal every other game. He is revered at Besiktas but has struggled to match that record at Everton. Tosun has scored 7 goals in 28 games for the Toffees,which makes for a decent squad player but not the main striker for a team challenging for the top 6.
Tosun’s issue is that he is above average at a lot of things but lacks the true pace, strength or aerial ability of a top end striker. At 6 foot, he is tall enough to challenge for the ball but will not dominate in the air. He is quick but not fast enough to outstrip defenders for pace. Tosun is a penalty box striker in the mould of a Tony Cottee, rather than a Graeme Sharp or Gary Lineker. He was unlucky not to score in his start against Newcastle but when Tosun doesn’t score, he does little else for the team. He works hard but cannot hold up the ball effectively. To his credit, the Turkish international has never complained publicly about his situation. Could Tosun leave Everton? We will find out in January if he is happy being a squad player.Â
Morgan Schneiderlin
It’s hard to believe that it has been only 2 years since Morgan Schneiderlin moved from Manchester United to Everton. Sadly, it has been almost that long since the Frenchman hit form. His first few months as an Everton player were impressive. The former Southampton player looked a bargain as he controlled the midfield. He passed the ball well and appeared to be a natural replacement for Gareth Barry. The Frenchman suffered an injury in April of 2017 and struggled to recapture his form near the end of that season. He has never rediscovered it.
Schneiderlin started this season in the number 6 role and started to look a little like his former self. His season was derailed, however, when he suffered a family loss and lost his place in the team. The impressive form of Andre Gomes and Idrissa Gana Gueye have kept him out of the starting 11 and Tom Davies has been the preferred option on the bench. The 28 year old looks like being surplus to requirement for Everton and a January move could benefit him. Everton may look to loan him out until the end of the season in the hope that his form improves elsewhere which would increase his value. It is unlikely that Schneiderlin is a part of Everton’s future.
Tom Davies
Schneiderlin’s Everton future may depend on whether they loan out Tom Davies. The West Derby born midfielder suffered last season as he was forced to fulfil a number of different roles in midfield. Sam Allardyce’s appointment did the youngster no favours as he was forced to play in a number 10 position which he was not suited for. In addition, the lack of leadership from other senior pros in the squad was also a hindrance to his development. Davies looked lost at times but to his credit, he did not hide, despite criticism from the usual boo boys.
At the beginning of the season, Marco Silva surprisingly appointed Davies as one of his captains. The 20 year old was delighted with the honour, although it was clear he required more development. The elevation of Andre Gomes to the first 11 has relegated Tom Davies to the bench in recent weeks. He has not made an appearance since the away win at Leicester City. This leaves Marco Silva with a decision to make.
Davies could stay and learn from training alongside Andre Gomes, a player who would be a great role model for the boyhood blue. The alternative would be to send Davies on loan to another Premier League side. Young players need game time and Davies is no exception. The break from first team action will have given him some much needed head space. A temporary loan would help him rediscover his form away from the pressure of the Goodison crowd. The youngster does not want to leave his boyhood club.
Jonjoe Kenny
Jonjoe Kenny emerged from a difficult 2017-2018 season with a great deal of credit in the eyes of Evertonians. The 21 year old Scouser filled in admirably for Seamus Coleman after the Ireland captain suffered a broken leg against Wales in Dublin. The Kirkdale youngster made 25 appearances last season and could go on to become a long term successor for Coleman. Kenny is another of Everton’s under 20 World Cup winners and has made 4 more appearances this season. Like Lookman and Davies, Kenny has suffered from a lack of playing time in recent weeks. A period away from the club on loan may be a chance for Kenny to gain the experience to challenge Coleman next season.
Mason Holgate
Another player with an uncertain future at the club is Mason Holgate. The Doncaster born stopper has found himself left out behind Kurt Zouma, Yerry Mina and Michael Keane this season. He has not been in the match day squad since the win at Leicester City and has not made the bench since then. The form of Mina, Zouma and Keane have made it very difficult for Holgate to find a place in the squad and he could be tempted to make a move in January. Holgate is too good a player for the Championship but may make a loan move in January to play first team football.
Everton have Phil Jagielka still on their books so may let Holgate go on loan and come back next summer to compete for a first team spot. If Holgate does leave on loan, it does not necessarily mean the end of his Everton career. Phil Jagielka’s contract is due to expire next summer and Kurt Zouma will likely leave and return to Chelsea. The former Barnsley centre half is only 22 and still has time on his side. He has shown that he is a Premier League player but is he good enough for a team challenging for Europe?
Oumar Niasse
Oumar Niasse’s fairy tale comeback has come to an end and it is likely that he leaves Everton. The Senegalese international has played a paltry 165 minutes in total this year for Everton. He has fallen behind Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Cenk Tosun in the Everton line-up. His time appears up at Everton. It is a shame for Niasse, whose attitude has been exemplary. The Dakar born striker would have been excited at the appointment of Marco Silva who he worked with at Hull City. This familiarity has not translated into appearance and a January loan or transfer is likely. Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City have been rumoured to be interested. It is likely that Marco Silva lets him leave this January.
Who do you think will leave Everton in the January window? Do any of these players have a future at Everton? Let us know in the comments section below.