Carlo Ancelotti rules out Everton summer striker move
Carlo Ancelotti insists that Everton will not be recruiting a striker this summer, despite the lack of options behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The Blues have been indebted to the prolific 24-year-old for inspiring a European charge this season but aside from the England international there is a dearth of senior striking options.
Cenk Tosun was the only other recognised frontman at the club but he was heavily out of favour and was shipped out on loan to Besiktas in January where he has picked up a knee injury.
Joshua King was brought in on a short-term deal but he is yet to start a game or score a goal for the Blues and it seems unlikely at this stage that he will stay beyond the summer.
Calvert-Lewin has scored 14 Premier League goals this season but the drop-off to the next set of goalscorers is substantial with James Rodriguez and Richarlison next on the list with six.
Despite this, Ancelotti is adamant a new forward is not on the Everton agenda, in quotes reported on the Guardian website.
“I can tell you that it [a striker] will not be the position we are looking for,” he said.
“In front we are really well covered because we have Dominic Calvert-Lewin, we have Richarlison, we have in this moment Joshua King and we have Moise Kean coming back.”
DCL burden is too heavy
We’re absolutely baffled by this and can only hope this is a bluff by Ancelotti.
He says we’re stacked with options but King is only here until the end of the season and Kean is expected to leave – he admitted himself that he was open to his permanent exit from the club. [Guardian]
Furthermore, Richarlison is yet to prove that he can do perform the task of lone frontman to anywhere near the level of Calvert-Lewin and he shouldn’t be burdened with that responsibility when we can add to the squad.
Of course there are some priorities to the starting XI that need to be made and thus a striker is not of the most critical importance, in comparison to a right-back or winger perhaps.
But it is still vitally important as we are the lowest scorers in the top 10 with 41 goals, and Calvert-Lewin needs more help.
There’s no reason to not splash the cash on his understudy this summer, or even someone who can partner him and failure to do so will be a costly lack of ambition on our part.
Two goals in our last five paints the story and it’s just not good enough.
Supporters will surely be up in arms at this news, and rightly so.
In other Everton news, three things to watch out for v Spurs.