James Tarkowski an ‘excellent’ addition according to journalist Dominic King
James Tarkowski’s imminent Everton arrival is “excellent” business according to The Daily Mail’s Northern Football Correspondent Dominic King.
It has been revealed by The Athletic [8 June], that the former Burnley man has undergone his medical and is set to sign a four-year deal at Goodison Park.
King believes that the signing of the 29-year-old centre-half is good business by Frank Lampard and the club hierarchy.
Talking on talkSPORT Breakfast [07:17, 9 June], King said: “I think he will be an excellent addition on a free transfer.
“He’s a player that has a fabulous reputation in the Premier League in terms of honesty and experience and it would be a smart move to get him on board.”
Smart move?
This may be a free transfer, but whether it is a smart move for the Toffees remains to be seen.
In the short term it may pay off there is no denying that but in the long-term, this is a move that could, yet again, financially cripple the Toffees going forward.
Tarkowski probably can’t believe that a club has come in and offered him a four-year deal.
The defender is 29 and is certainly in the prime of his career, maybe even just edging past his best years.
He is a good defender, there is no denying that, and has been a consistent performer for Burnley over the years but his level will decline.
It is likely that he won’t be performing at his current level in two to three years’ time and every chance that he won’t be a regular for the Toffees towards the end of his four-year deal.
Have Everton not learned from their mistakes?
Too often the Toffees have purchased underperforming players from other Premier League clubs and offered them ridiculously high wages.
Granted Tarkowski is not an underperforming player, despite being relegated with Burnley, but there is every chance that he won’t be hitting his previously levels in the coming years.
Let’s hope the Toffees start to target younger players on an upward trajectory in the summer window.
In other Everton news, Everton are happy to let Yerry Mina leave the Goodison Park this summer.
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