Everton’s attacking downfalls were laid bare in their 4-1 home defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday evening – and it’s evident that a striker is needed in the January transfer window.
Everton boast Beto and Thierno Barry as their main striking options, but the duo have just one goal between them in the Premier League, with Beto’s goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers coming all the way back in August in the 3-2 Premier League win over Wolves.
Barry is yet to get on the scoresheet, and despite defensive frailties against Newcastle, it’s their attack which has come under the most pressure for an inability to score goals.
David Moyes is in desperate need of a striker – and with the World Cup approaching, that should see them make a move for PSV Eindhoven star Ricardo Pepi before he potentially takes off ahead of the summer tournament.
PSV v Excelsior - Dutch KNVB Beker
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Everton need to beat other clubs to Ricardo Pepi in the January transfer window
Ricardo Pepi has been in fine form for PSV, scoring six goals in just 581 minutes of football this season – a goal every 96 minutes.
Two of those have come in the Champions League, with goals against Napoli and Olympiacos picking up vital points for the Dutch side.
However, he’s only started four times in the league and despite signing a new long-term contract in February, minutes for his development will be key.
18 goals in just 1,132 minutes of action last season have shown that Pepi knows where the back of the net is, yet he’s been unable to garner consistent minutes at the Philips Stadion.
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The El Paso-born star grabbed another goal on Sunday as he played the full 90 minutes, but with the World Cup on the horizon, he’ll be wanting to start regularly.
A World Cup on home soil in the summer could see his status catapulted if he has a good tournament, though the likelihood is that other teams will come calling if he has a solid tournament on the big stage.
Everton may need to take advantage of that early, and with goals evidently an issue at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, they should be doing everything they can in January to bring him to Merseyside.
Everton have been linked with Pepi as recently as January, and David Moyes knows that if his side are to start climbing the table, a deal should be a priority to get sorted before others circle for his signature.
Former Everton stars have already touted Pepi with a move away ahead of the World Cup
Former Toffees duo and USA heroes Tim Howard and Landon Donovan have previously touted Ricardo Pepi for a move away from PSV Eindhoven.
The striker has been struggling for minutes in the Netherlands, and with the World Cup taking place in his home nation of the USA, the former Goodison Park icons urged Pepi to leave the Netherlands for a place in England in order for him to explode on the scene in the summer.
Donovan said via the Unfiltered Soccer podcast: “He banged in a hattrick for PSV, and you think he’d start the next game. There are reports of him making a move.
STAT: Thierno Barry had the lowest amount of touches (26) of any player who started in Everton’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle. Even Jordan Pickford (36) and Aaron Ramsdale (37) had more.
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“You know my answer – go where you are going to play, you’ve got 18 months ahead of the World Cup. He needs to be really clever in the next few months before the window. He has to be playing.”
And Howard added fuel to the fire, saying: “If he gets in the starting lineup, stay at PSV, but if he’s scoring goals, clubs will take a chance on him.
“If a club comes after him and they say, ‘here is the key to the car’ then I think he has to chase more playing time.”
Former Everton star Andy Gray has called on Moyes to improve his striking ranks and a move for the 22-year-old would certainly be a step in the right direction.
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