View: Everton should agree Kean exit if reported move for 19y/o CL winner goes through
Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee is closing in on a loan move to Everton with a view to a permanent transfer for the Champions League winner, according to talkSPORT.
The 19-year-old is on the periphery of the Bayern first team with Europe’s leading marksman Robert Lewandowski currently occupying the striker slot and looking unlikely to drop out any time soon with his 20 Bundesliga goals so far this season, streets ahead of nearest challenger Erling Haaland’s 12.
Therefore a move away from the Allianz Arena seems like the most sensible thing to do in order to pick up some vital play time, and it appears Goodison Park will be the next destination for the Dutch forward who appeared against Tottenham Hotspur in last season’s Champions League en route to the German giants lifting the trophy.
TalkSPORT have reported that “the highly-rated 6ft 3in 19-year-old’s move will initially be on loan with a view to a permanent transfer” and allude to the Blues nearly signing him in 2017 when compatriot Ronald Koeman was at the helm.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hamstring injury currently sidelining him from the team, with Carlo Ancelotti non-committal on his return, a move for a striker seems like an obvious thing to do.
Everton secured a brilliant 2-1 at Wolves on Tuesday despite not fielding a recognised striker as they adapted their system to play Gylfi Sigurdsson and James Rodriguez as more advanced midfielders, but they will be mindful that this is not a medium or long-term solution to their Calvert-Lewin back-up problem.
Prolific 2019/20 Bundesliga strike-rate
Such has been Zirkzee’s lack of action at Bayern, allied to his youthful years, it is hard to analyse or put too much scrutiny on the statistics that he has produced but there are some encouraging signs of what might come.
Last season was Zirkzee’s breakthrough into the first-team squad and he impressed in limited minutes, scoring four goals in just 295 minutes of Bundesliga action (WhoScored).
He has made just the one Bundesliga start this season combined with a further two sub appearances and he will be desperate to show the world his budding talents.
His lack of first-team action would appear to be a bit of a concern though, if Ancelotti is hoping he can make an instant impact, but he will be confident that his talent and youthful exuberance will shine through.
Zirkzee is a tall, powerful forward in the mould of a Calvert-Lewin and it will be exactly this that would have convinced Ancelotti that he is the perfect replacement.
Moise Kean was a big-money striker signing in 2019 but he failed to live up to his billing last season scoring just twice in 29 Premier League appearances before being sent out on loan to Ligue 1 side PSG where he has flourished alongside the talents of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
There are reports that the French side are keen to turn this temporary move into a permanent one and if Everton can secure the signing of Zirkzee this is a deal that should see them sanction Kean’s exit.
The difference in play styles between Calvert-Lewin and Kean is palpable, particularly evidenced in the statistic that the former won five aerials per game in the Premier League last season compared to Kean’s 0.4 and it is not something he has shown in his game abroad either, with the figure only just jumping to 0.6 in Ligue 1 (WhoScored).
Kean to leave
Kean is a striker that likes to play on the shoulder of the defence while Calvert-Lewin thrives on dangerous deliveries into the box like those often supplied by Lucas Digne.
Even though only a year separates Kean (20) and Zirkzee there is a clear gap in experience, with the Italian striker playing over 100 senior matches already including eight games for his national side, with Zirkzee amassing just 16 for the Bayern first-team.
Kean does not suit being the Calvert-Lewin replacement, either in terms of playing style or due to the fact he is now itching for regular game time after becoming an important figure in Paris.
Zirkzee meanwhile would be more content for a back-up role as long as he is playing a lot more than at Bayern and this would be a much more achievable option at Everton, and his tall frame (1.93 metres) could help him in the Calvert-Lewin role.
If Marcel Brands can secure the signature of Zirkzee (so long as there is a permanent clause) then this would be a smart move which should hasten the departure of Kean to PSG and could mark the beginning of an exciting Everton attack for years to come.
In other Everton news, our view on how Ancelotti masterminded the Wolves win with his key use of Alex Iwobi.