Everton supporters are growing concerned about the lack of transfer activity with another Premier League rival set to strengthen – with a player the Toffees ought to have been in for.
Only Hayden Hackney has arrived so far this summer.
Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl have been signed permanently, but fans feel the club ought to have been more productive up to this point.
Just focusing on Everton’s right-back search, who should the club bring in this summer and why? 🤔
From Spence, to White, to Norton-Cuffy, there have been links to so many players so far…
That a new right-back has not yet been signed is particularly disappointing.
And it’s also been reported that Everton have also been looking for a new centre-back.
But again, there have been very few links to players so far and meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are about to sign Ousmane Diomande.
Everton should have been in for Ousmane Diomande
James Tarkowski and Michael Keane are both 33 now, meaning they don’t have much longer at the top level.
The pair ended last season in really poor form, with Keane’s form ironically becoming worse after he signed his new contract.
It’s likely that both will move on next summer, when Keane will be out of contract again and Tarkowski will only have a year left.
Everton should be preparing for life after them both, and it’s very disappointing to see a club like Forest sign a player like Diomande.
Everton are a bigger club than Forest and have long been established in the top-flight. And yet it’s Forest who are showing more ambition.
According to various reports, Forest are in advanced talks to sign Diomande and are set to pay Sporting CP £35 million, which would be a complete and utter bargain.
Diomande has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and has previously attracted attention from all the top English clubs.
Total Football Analysis describes Diomande as having ‘a very unique profile’.
They add: “Diomande is extremely and expectedly strong, but he combines this with great speed and athleticism.”
And not only that, ‘he is comfortable carrying the ball into the midfield and has a varied passing range, which allows him to contribute heavily to building up play.’
He is every inch the modern-day central defender, who has the potential to become a truly formidable warrior at the back. He’s also very experienced for his age (22), having already made 132 appearances for Sporting, and won 15 caps for Ivory Coast.
He’s also played in the Champions League, World Cup and won two league titles.
That Diomande looks set to transfer for about £35 million is extremely surprising, and questions really must be asked of Everton, because he would simply be a major statement of intent, from a club who will soon be crying out for a younger new centre-back, if they aren’t already.
Granted, Forest have just received a huge fee from Manchester City for Elliot Anderson, which will no doubt help them here.
But there has seemingly been no attempt whatsoever from Everton to try and sign Diomande, for what is such a reasonable price for how good he is. That will only fuel the fire more for those fans accusing The Friedkins and Moyes of lacking ambition.
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