Everton boss Frank Lampard must utilise Niels Nkounkou after impressive loan spell
Frank Lampard must utilise Everton loanee Niels Nkounkou after his loan spell at Cardiff City ends, the defender has been shining in the Championship.
Nkounkou signed for the Blues in 2020 from Marseille taking a role in the first-team straight away as number two to then left-back Lucas Digne.
And despite a rocky start to life at Goodison, a loan spell seems to be doing the left-back the world of good, with Glen Williams, Cardiff City reporter at Wales Online describing him as a “world beater”.
“Nkounkou can look like a world-beater when he picks up the ball in broken play,” said the reporter as quoted by The Athletic.
“That is where he is so dangerous. Against Wigan, he basically won the game on his own. He created both of Cardiff’s goals, seemingly out of nothing, with dancing feet and crisp passing.”
These comments are a testament to Nkounkou’s relentless style of play, one which would suit Lampard’s forward-thinking backline.
High ceiling.
Nkounkou has looked fantastically brilliant at moving the ball forward for Cardiff City this season but has shown his frailties at defending.
This is something that could be drilled into him by Lampard and Everton defensive coach Ashley Cole if he returned to the Merseyside club.
He’s a raw talent for sure, but the glimpses of brilliance he’s shown so far this campaign are enough to take a punt on him, he could be frighteningly good.
Vitaliy Mykolenko has been solid this season at left-back for the Blues but some competition for his place in Everton’s starting XI wouldn’t go amiss.
The Ukrainian has shown weaknesses at times and this may be because he’s playing week in, and week out, Nkounkou provides an exciting alternative to him.
The signs are there that the young Frenchman can do a job for the Blues, hopefully, Lampard chooses to bring him back to the club once his loan spell ends.