Everton must hijack Ajax deal for Steven Bergwijn after Andros Townsend injury update
Everton must make a concrete approach to sign Steven Bergwijn from Tottenham after receiving a worrying injury update on Andros Townsend.
Townsend, who suffered a cruel ACL injury in a 4-0 FA Cup loss against Crystal Palace in March, is expected to miss the opening half of the season.
He had to undergo surgery, and now he is continuing his rehabilitation.
Townsend’s father told The Guardian’s Football Weekly Podcast on 6 June that he doesn’t expect the winger to return before the second half of the season.
He said: “He’s away at the moment, he’s back this week. It’s now in the process of recuperation, so he doesn’t get much time off and I don’t think he’d want it.
“He needs to get back and make the knee stronger and see where the season will take him, but it definitely won’t be the first half [of next season], I will imagine.”
In such a scenario, the Toffees, who desperately need to bolster their attacking ranks, will be short of options, especially if Richarlison leaves this summer.
With that in mind, Everton have to move for Bergwijn who has made it clear that he wants to leave the club in search of regular games.
The Daily Mail reported on 4 June that the Toffees are interested in signing the 24-year-old winger.
At the moment, Ajax are leading the chase. Spurs are ready to sell him, but they have rejected an offer in the region of £17million from the Dutch giants.
The stage is nicely set for the Toffees to make a smart move now and get his deal done.
Bergwijn is a versatile forward, who can play in all three positions up front, plus he can operate as a striker if needed.
He has scored 52 goals in his club career and is a regular member of the Dutch national side. He was not given proper opportunities at Spurs, but there’s no doubt about his ability and vast potential.
He will soon approach the peak years of his career, and it’s a safe gamble to invest in him. The club must hijack a deal from Ajax in the coming weeks.
In other Everton news, the Blues could be forced into a big sale as Alisher Usmanov’s name is mentioned in a transfer report.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook for 24/7 updates on Everton plus more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.