Sky Sports pundit explains why Everton were right not to move for Arnaud Kalimuendo
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Everton could not be sure that Arnaud Kalimuendo was ready for the Premier League when they need a striker to help right now says Kevin Campbell.
The 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward was tipped as someone who the Toffees would turn their attentions to after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was ruled out for weeks with injury, but L’Equipe reported on Wednesday (10 August) that it is Rennes who are set to sign him for €25million.
Former Everton striker, and Sky Sports pundit, Campbell believes that in the club’s current predicament there is no room for error and it needs to be a player who has Premier League experience or a lot more games under their belt from elsewhere.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News on Kalimuendo he said: “Yeah I think that’s a difficult one because Everton were linked with [Armando] Broja. Broja you could see at Southampton he’d done a really good job.
“He knows the Premier League. He even came on against Everton at the weekend [6 August], so you know he could physically handle it.
“It’s a young lad. Again, he’d be learning the Premier League. I just don’t see Everton investing money in a youngster when they’ve got two youngsters out on loan.
“They need somebody a bit more experienced who can come in and do a job straight away.
“They might have to learn the Premier League but they’re experienced enough to have the instincts to be able to play at Premier League level.
“I just don’t see Everton going and signing another young striker.”
It is an unavoidable conclusion that Frank Lampard needs help up front with his top man ruled out again through injury, and his younger back-ups, Ellis Simms and Nathan Broadhead, on loan.
Salomon Rondon can’t score the amount of goals necessary to lead this side, so somebody is going to have to be brought in fast.
If that could be Broja it would be a coup, although it appears unlikely after all this time, but whoever it is will need to be able to handle the pressure of spearheading the Toffees’ season immediately.