Everton are in the market for a striker this January transfer window and are being heavily linked to one in particular.
David Moyes has a real striker dilemma at the moment, as Beto and Thierno Barry have scored just one goal between them in the Premier League.
In fact, Barry hasn’t even managed to get a single shot on target, whilst Beto has scored one from a 3.92 xG.
So, Everton are expected to sign a centre-forward this January, and if they get it right, it could change everything.
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Joshua Zirkzee could be the difference between success and failure for Everton this season
Everton News exclusively revealed last month that Moyes is considering a move to sign Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee.
It’s understood that Zirkzee is keen to leave as he’s becoming increasingly frustrated with his lack of minutes under Ruben Amorim.
If the Toffees do manage to land his signature, his arrival could genuinely be the difference between Everton qualifying for Europe or finishing in the bottom half.
Zirkzee is a very fluid centre-forward who can also playmake, so he’d really complement the likes of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye.
The rotations between the trio would be much more fluid than the current set-up, but he could also play in a front two to support Barry or Beto.
Before joining United, the Dutchman’s final season in Serie A saw him score 12 goals whilst laying on seven assists for Bologna.
So clearly there is a very talented player in there, and aged just 24, he still has plenty of room to get even better.
Joshua Zirkzee labelled ‘special’ by Thiago Motta
Zirkzee’s former manager Thiago Motta was blown away by his ability and labelled him a ‘special’ player back in February 2024.
“I remember Ronaldinho from Barcelona, he was something extraordinary,” Motta explained.
“I’ve never seen a player of this level when he was in form. Ibra the same, given the career he’s had. Joshua is Joshua, he’s special, I hope he continues like this and I won’t compare him to anyone.
“He plays well but above all he works, I will never stop saying that from the first day of training camp, he has always been the first to work and has become a leader. He must continue like this and we must help him continue like this because this is on the right path.”
With regular game time and trust from Moyes, Zirkzee could rediscover his best form just like Jack Grealish has been able to do.
The only issue may be his price tag, as Man United forked out £36m on his signature just over a year ago, so they’ll likely want to recoup a lot of that.
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