Due to both their financial limitations and the European Championships, Everton’s summer spending will likely not occur until much later in the window.
After all, they must first navigate the June 30th PSR deadline, and also seek to avoid spending recklessly on players who are simply enjoying a purple patch for their country rather than meeting what Sean Dyche’s squad needs.
It promises to be yet another volatile summer laden with various challenges, but Kevin Thelwell has been here before. He knows what it takes.
However, he will still have cast a keen eye over Albania’s match last night, simply curious as to how Everton’s transfer target Armando Broja was getting on.
How the national media have reacted to his performance is rather telling, though.
National media react to Everton-linked Armando Broja’s performance
As Albania slumped to a spirited but ultimately disappointing defeat, the focus centred on their inability to retain possession against a well-oiled Italian side.
Most of that blame must lay at the feet of the forwards, who simply failed to make it stick.
That being said, the response to Broja’s display in particular was varied, with the most scathing assessment coming from The Daily Mail; ‘Struggled to do anything of note and spoke volumes that his replacement Ray Manaj looked much more of a threat when he came on in the 77th minute for Broja.
‘Manaj nearly scored what would have been a memorable historic equaliser, but Donnarumma got a vital touch.’
This merited his 6/10 rating, which was supported by 90min’s even more tough 4/10. They wrote: ‘Failed to impose himself on Italy’s commanding centre-backs. Substituted with Albania needing a goal.’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin should not be worried
Whether the Albanian was due to come in as a replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin regardless of whether he stayed or went, the 27-year-old need not be fearful for his position after watching that display.
After all, whilst the Chelsea man tried his best, his inability to shine for a side who were the outstanding underdogs is a quality that suggests he may well struggle in Dyche’s Everton.
The Toffees this season have been happy to surrender possession regularly in the pursuit of quick, direct counter-attacking football.
This has fed right into the hands of Calvert-Lewin, who thrives off chaos, competing for aerials and running into channels after lost causes.
He may not always score, but he seldom has a poor, anonymous performance.
Broja, meanwhile, against an Italy team which is hardly the dominant force it once was, managed a mere 22 touches and failed to register a single shot before being hooked after 77 minutes.
It’s also rather telling that, as one of the aforementioned reports stated, the replacement for the £40k-a-week marksman came desperately close to scoring by offering an instant threat which he had not.
It is only one game, and he is still so young, but the 22-year-old will have to do better to impress Dyche and justify the £30m price tag being thrown around.
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