It has been a worrying and difficult start to the season for Everton.
The Toffees have lost their first two games of the season without scoring. In the opening game, Everton lost 1-0 to Fulham and had shots totalling 2.73 expected goals – the highest xG sum without netting in a Premier League game since Newcastle vs C.Palace in September 2022 (2.83).
In the latest match against Aston Villa, Sean Dyche’s men were painfully second-best and were outplayed in a damaging 4-0 defeat.
To add insult to injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was forced off in the first half to heighten the narrative surrounding his bizarre and patchy fitness record.
If Everton are to survive, they must find a more dependable option than the Englishman – a lack of end-product and attacking threat remains two prominent issues, with the club unsurprisingly set to make late moves in the market…
What’s the latest Everton transfer news?
According to the Telegraph's John Percy, the Toffees closing in on the £15m signing of Southampton’s Che Adams.
"Everton close in on £15m deal to sign Southampton's Che Adams. Bloody hell, how they need him – and a few more," he tweeted.
Following the Saints’ relegation last term, the 27-year-old is set to make a quick return to top-flight football as the Merseysiders are in the final stages of agreeing a fee and payment structure with the Championship outfit.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have also been interested in Adams, but Everton are now the leading contenders in the race for his signature.
It is understood that Dyche is ‘prioritising the addition of a new forward’ after his team were the second-lowest scorers in the division last season.
Would Che Adams be a good signing for Everton?
The Scotsman, who was hailed as a “phenomenon” by Ralph Hasenhüttl, has been at Southampton since 2019, and in 124 Premier League appearances has registered 39 goal contributions.
This season, he has already demonstrated that he is above the level of Championship football, having netted in the first three games of the season, despite starting two of those on the bench.
Interestingly, all of those goals have come from inside the box, to highlight his predatory instinct, a trait that Everton are drastically missing. As a result, Southampton manager Russell Martin has said that Adams has “brilliant energy” and has dealt with transfer speculation in an “amazing” fashion.
Last season, the former Birmingham City dynamo ranked second in the squad for goals (5) and assists (3), only behind the ever-present and ridiculously consistent James Ward-Prowse, as per WhoScored.
Football pundit Ally McCoist is a fan of Adams’ profile, describing him as a “clever player”, who possesses a “bit of pace” and “can finish.”
Throughout his Southampton career, the 23-cap international has only missed one game due to injury, which is vastly different to Calvert-Lewin.
The Everton striker’s persistent injury problems have almost become laughable. Since 2016, he has missed 75 games due to multiple issues, and in a year that looks to be another tense relegation scrap, Dyche must look for a more reliable and dynamic frontman.
Moreover, with four seasons of Premier League football under his belt, Adams would be instantly ready to join the fight and could be a vital piece of depth for the struggling Toffees.
