Robbie Fowler takes a swipe at Everton for not signing Callum Wilson in 2020
Robbie Fowler has taken a swipe at Everton for not signing Callum Wilson when Bournemouth were relegated back in 2020 to solve their striker problems.
The Toffees have had big issues at the top end of the pitch in recent seasons, scoring just 77 goals in their last 76 games in the Premier League over the last two seasons.
And Fowler took a swipe at the club in his column for The Mirror (4 June) for not plucking Wilson when they had the chance in 2020 after his excellent season for Newcastle United.
“Look through the team, and yes, they’ve spent money, they’ve signed a couple of players that maybe wouldn’t be there but for the Saudi takeover,” he said.
“But look at Callum Wilson, for instance. He was available to all the Premier League teams when Bournemouth went down in 2020. Plenty could have taken him…and plenty now wish they did (and yeah, I’m looking at you Everton).”
Major issues
The club have been desperate for a striker for several years, but the financial situation and the trust they have had in Dominic Calvert-Lewin means opportunities haven’t been taken in the market.
Wilson joined the Magpies for a fee of around £20m, fresh off Calvert-Lewin’s greatest campaign where he had managed to avoid injuries.
But using hindsight to take a swing at the club makes no sense, because we all knew at the time that £20m for a striker with just an okay scoring record to likely be back-up would’ve been crazy.
Obviously now it looks like a no-brainer of a signing, but if we knew then what we know now then there’s no doubting that the club would have made a different decision at the time. We still need a striker now and the club are looking in the market for one.
Ultimately Everton have got plenty wrong in recent years, and they deserve criticism for it. But this situation definitely isn’t one of them, and especially not from Fowler of all people.