Emile Heskey raves about Everton target Daryl Dike
Regular Sky Sports pundit Emile Heskey is a keen admirer of Everton target Daryl Dike who is currently plying his trade at Barnsley.
The 20-year-old is on loan from American side Orlando City and is taking the Championship by storm this season.
He’s found the back of the net on eight occasions in 14 games, and he’s a proven aerial threat along with being a player with good link-up ability.
Heskey, who knows a thing or two about being notorious to play against, heaped big praise on the £17m-rated striker Everton want to sign. [Eurosport]
“[Dike] is a strong, powerful lad who knows where the back of the net is, who understands his strengths and ability and runs with it,” he said to HITC.
“When you’re talking about a powerful, powerful player, with the ability to hold the ball up as the lone striker, there will be so many clubs who need and want that.
“Comparing someone like that to Lukaku is tough, because you’re comparing to someone whose goal-scoring record is second to none.”
Steep but important investment
Paying that kind of money for someone who is yet to play a single minute of Premier League football may be considered a steep move that raises eyebrows.
However, Dike is only 20, and even if he doesn’t hit the ground running immediately, he can be an understudy to Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, a manager who has taken a number of players from being promising youth prospects to world beaters, would surely have a positive impact on Dike’s career.
Barnsley also have the option to make his loan into a permanent move this summer, but unless they get promoted to the Premier League, it’s unlikely they could match Orlando’s asking rate of £17m.
This leaves the path relatively clear for Everton, and if Ancelotti makes a u-turn on his decision not to sign a striker in the summer, Dike will be one of the players likely to be at the top of his list.
In other Everton news, ‘Beginning to worry me’ – Alan Brazil slams big-money Everton ‘sulker’, moots summer exit