Journalist David Prentice believes Everton need midfield reinforcement
Liverpool Echo journalist David Prentice believes adding to the Everton midfield must have risen up the club’s priority list.
The Toffees were only able to name one fit central midfielder, Tom Davies, when they faced Brighton at the Amex on Monday night, with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Mason Holgate dropping back and moving forward respectively to partner him.
Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Allan were all unavailable through injury, leaving Carlo Ancelotti short on options.
With Seamus Coleman entering the final few years of his career is it believed that Everton will prioritise signing a right-back this summer, with the Blues needing a long-term solution for that position.
Speaking on the Liverpool Echo’s Royal Blue Podcast though, Prentice explained his belief that, while not the top priority, a new midfielder must have been “elevated” up the list.
Prentice said: “I wouldn’t say [adding to the midfield is] an absolute priority, but it’s been elevated to close to priority now.
“You can’t rely on Gbamin’s recovery. You can’t plan for next season that he is going to be fit and raring to go because we don’t know.
“Fabian Delph, we’ve learned already you can’t rely on his fitness, but Andre Gomes is a different issue. It’s a form issue, rather than fitness. I’m still quite hopeful and optimistic we will see the pre-injury Andre Gomes again sometime.
“But that still means Everton need more depth in there, and if we get into Europe, that is going to be a game every four days.
“Carlo Ancelotti has changed the transfer dynamic, he recruited players last summer who are a little older, Rodriguez is 29, Allan is 30. These are players that will pick up injuries as a result of that, it’s a fact of life. They won’t recover as quickly.
“So yes, it is becoming a priority. Everton need a younger, more reliable option in that area of the squad to turn to.”
Certainly needs addressing
Everton’s injuries have played havoc with their chances of qualifying for the Champions League this season.
Not that the Blues can pin all of the blame on their unfortunate lack of luck regarding fitness, because they’ve also failed to turn up on another occasions that they must shoulder some of the guilt.
However Everton’s midfield has certainly been hit harder than any other position, and that has understandably seen some call for changs in the summer.
Fabian Delph has barely played a part this season and at 31-years old his long-term position in the squad isn’t set in stone. Jean-Philippe Gbamin has provided a new definition for the term ‘injury prone’, and both Andre Gomes and Gylfi Sigurdsson have been inconsistent over the duration over the campaign too.
Everton’s issues in midfield don’t bode well if they are to qualify for the Europa League before the end of the season, and Prentice is right to expect summer acquisitions to bolster Ancelotti’s options.
The Italian coach is likely to target players who better suit his footballing ethos anyway, but irrespective of that the club simply need more depth, and they will need to be prepared to spend in order to secure the desired quality.
In other Everton news, Martin Tyler and Alan Smith slammed a “desperate” Blues player in the draw with Brighton.
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