What would Kevin Gameiro add to Everton?
Published:
The Toffees have been linked with the Atletico striker
Everton’s dismal start to the season cost Ronald Koeman his job this week. The club have only won two of their last 13 games in all competitions. They’re in the relegation zone and bottom of their Europa League group as a result.
The Toffees’ poor form comes despite spending over £130m on new signings in the summer. However, the club failed to sign a ready-made replacement for Romelu Lukaku.
Everton are now being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro. The 30-year-old has only made one start and two substitute appearances in La Liga this term. He’s likely to receive even less playing time when Diego Costa arrives in January.
Would he help them to turn their season around?
Lead the Line
Everton have badly lacked an attacking focal point this season. Wayne Rooney tends to go in search of the ball. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is promising but inexperienced at the top level. And when Sandro Ramirez has been fit, he’s struggled to cope with the demands of English football so far.
Gameiro is only 5’6”, but he’s got the intelligence and speed to play as a lone striker if necessary. He was often rotated with Fernando Torres as Antoine Griezmann’s strike partner last season. He only completed 90 minutes on three of his 31 appearances but still scored 12 league goals.
He’s constantly looking to get in behind the opposition defence and is a tidy finisher when played through.
Much-needed movement
Seamus Coleman and Yannick Bolasie’s injuries have deprived Everton of speed this season. At one point, Wayne Rooney started in the number ten role, with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen either side of him. That trio may have quality on the ball but there’s an alarming lack of pace and energy there.
Gameiro’s movement stretches opposition defenders. It provides more time and space for Everton’s creative players to pick a pass.
He can get involved in the build-up but he doesn’t drop deep like Rooney. That means the likes of Sigurdsson can operate without the striker stepping on their toes.
Experience
Other than Rooney, there’s little top-level experience amongst Everton’s attacking options. The club are very unlikely to achieve their aim of challenging for a Champions League place this season. But signing a player of Gameiro’s standing can only help them reach those targets.
He’s a France international that has played for some huge clubs. As well as Atletico, he’s been at Paris Saint-Germain and helped Sevilla to win three consecutive Europa League titles.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
