Exclusive: Nigel Martyn says one of Ancelotti's Everton signings 'hasn't really worked' out

Even with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured, Josh King still didn’t start for Everton against Tottenham last time out.

The Norwegian is still yet to start a Premier League game since his deadline day move to Goodison Park.

During an exclusive interview with former Toffee Nigel Martyn, he told Everton.News why he thinks the signing of King hasn’t worked out as planned.

In terms of backup strikers, Everton went from Moise Kean to King during the winter.

The former has been banging in the goals for Paris Saint-Germain, who are in the semi-finals of the Champions League, while King’s time at Everton is yet to get off the ground.

“The Josh King thing hasn’t really worked, has it?” said Martyn. “He had his chance against Tottenham, a really good chance late on and for his Everton career needed that to go in.

“Perhaps they saw more in games when they were playing against him than he’s actually shown in training and on the pitch.

“It’s difficult when you move to fit into the scheme of things but you’ve just to go out there and play your game thinking the manager’s bought you to play your game.

“It doesn’t look as though it’s worked and you’ve got the three strikers in training and you can see who’s doing the job best and pick the team based on that.

“Maybe they’ve been a little bit disappointed with him and that’s why he’s been on the bench and not starting.”

The fact that King doesn’t even start when Calvert-Lewin’s out doesn’t bode well for him.

In truth, he probably missed too much football while at Bournemouth and couldn’t get that match fitness back at Everton.

It might have come if he’d played every game but he was always going to be a backup option for Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian might still feel justified in loaning out Kean, who needed a fresh start having found opportunities limited at Goodison and replacing him with King, for morale and team unity if nothing else.

But the fact remains that a more effective backup striker might have made the difference in tight games for Everton and King has yet to start, let alone score in royal blue yet as the European challenge has faltered.