Everton 'in talks' to replace £15m flop with 'outstanding' Chelsea star
Everton are reportedly in talks to replace Neal Maupay with Chelsea fringe forward David Datro Fofana.
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Hide AdThe Toffees are clearly in need of a spark in their attack having registered less than 1.0 expected goals across their opening two defeats of the Premier League season so far. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future is still up in the air and last summer’s young signing in Youssef Chermiti is out of action for while leaving them light in attack.
Plus, they have also Maupay on their books who has entered the final year of his deal and it’s clear he has no future at the club. He spent last season on loan and failed to receive any minutes across those two games which suggests his time is nearly up. The club will be keen to recoup some money after signing for £15m in 2022. A move to Marseille or Brentford is possible and Everton are looking to move him on.
In his place could arrive Chelsea’s Fofana. He has fallen into the category of a group of players who the club desperately need to sell before the transfer window shuts - and that could make a deal easier to complete for Everton. Having signed from Molde for £8m-10m in January 2023, he has played just four times for the London club, spending time on loan at Burnley and Union Berlin and he could head on loan once again.
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Hide AdSources close to Chelsea suggest that Everton have held talks over a potential deal for Fofana. However, the club is said to hold him in high regard so there would be no obligation or option-to-buy, according to TeamTalk. A move for him has opened up after a failure to secure Armando Broja - and the news that his medical at Ipswich Town revealed an achilles issue makes a move for the Ivorian more sensible.
Previously, he had moment of quality under Vincent Kompany in the latter half of last season. He netted an incredible strike from 30 yards against West Ham United at the London Stadium which led the former Clarets boss to dub him ‘outstanding’ before going onto say he is capable of much more. Even some Chelsea fans questioned why ex-manager Graham Potter didn’t give him a chance following an impressive half showing against Southampton in 2023; a Daily Mail journalist was also confused by such a decision.
LiverpoolWorld verdict
He has quick feet, pace, a high work-ethic and the ability to produce something out of nothing and Everton are lacking someone with his abilities. Ranked in the 90th percentile for tackles and the 96th for successful take-ons for forwards shows he would be perfect to lead the line. His 52.1% shot-on-target success rate ranks him in the elite percentile as well.
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Hide AdFofana is in desperate need of a club to give him a chance. He managed to find some success in a Burnley side that were incredibly out-of-sorts in their relegation season last year and Everton would provide a great foundation for him to showcase his abilities - it may even be a case of the player needing the club, and the club needing the player.
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