Everton fans told to get ‘excited’ at Youssef Chermiti transfer news as ‘ready-made’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin stand-in nears – Paul Brown
Everton fans “should be getting excited” if the club completes transfers on a limited budget this summer, and they could have an “elite player” on their hands with the deal for Youssef Chermiti, according to Paul Brown.
The former Daily Star journalist told GIVEMESPORT (1 August) that the 19-year-old Sporting striker is a “gamble” but “tipped to go right to the top” and the club will have done well to bring him in as a “ready-made understudy for Dominic Calvert-Lewin”.
The Portuguese teenager is expected to be in before the end of the week to face his former club in a friendly on Saturday (5 August) with a medical imminent [Fabrizio Romano, 1 August] after the Toffees beat Wolves and Bournemouth to him.
Brown said: “I think Everton fans should be getting excited about anyone coming into the club because whoever they manage to sign this summer, they’ll have done well on a limited budget.
“Chermiti is a little bit of an unknown, but he has the physicality to survive in the Premier League. I think he is a ready-made understudy to Calvert-Lewin.
“He is very young and tipped to go right to the top so, in a few years time, he could turn into an elite player with the right kind of coaching. But it’s clearly a gamble on this working out.”
Ideal
He may not be Erling Haaland but after the year that Everton have had a successful purchase of any player, let alone a striker, is a positive development.
Chermiti will undoubtedly be raw after only breaking into the Sporting first team last season, but if he can reach the standards that Brown has suggested he will be a steal and could still have a useful impact this season.
Being able to fill in for Calvert-Lewin is the absolute top priority for any forward arriving at Goodison Park currently, with the Englishman still the top option when fit but so often not available.
In a perfect world the number nine would be able to start more often than not and allow Chermiti to adapt off the bench.
But with Neal Maupay the wrong kind of player to lead the line in his teammate’s absence it looks like the incoming youngster fits the bill better.
The attacking picture will still look far healthier if another proven option can be brought in, and a lot will depend on how comfortable Sean Dyche is to throw Chermiti into first-team action.
But, assuming he signs as expected in the next couple of days, he appears set to be a definite positive at long last.
In other Everton news, the Portuguese’s arrival could spell the end for a current Goodison ace who is in line to be sold.