Could Everton sign one of the most reliable goalscorers in Europe in the coming transfer window?
As we creep closer towards the start of the summer transfer window, there is growing evidence that Everton’s new owners might be ready to start flexing their financial muscle – and to show the kind of ambition that the club’s fans have been hoping to see ever since former chairman Farhad Moshiri finally left.
A few days ago, reports from the British press suggested that the Toffees were among the clubs hoping to sign West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen – and now stories from Italy suggest that the Friedkin Group could be about to make use of their multi-club ownership model to bring one of the most reliable goalscorers in Europe to Merseyside: Ukraine international Artem Dovbyk.
How Everton could get their hands on one of Europe’s most prolific strikers
The 28-year-old Dovbyk first attracted widespread attention in Spain, when he became the leading goalscorer in La Liga during the 2023/24 season after scoring 24 times for Girona in what proved to be his one and only season there.
His exploits weren’t particularly surprising given his impressive track record in his home country, and he didn’t let the pace drop when he moved to AS Roma the following summer – in his first campaign in the Italian capital, he scored 17 goals in all competitions. Few strikers in Europe can boast a scoring record as impressive as Dovbyk’s over the last few years.
Everything ground to a halt, however, when a serious hamstring injury curtailed his 2025/26 season. The Ukrainian has been able to start just three Serie A matches since the summer – and that may be part of the reason that the Friedkin Group, who own both Everton and Roma, are reportedly considering sorting a deal which would send Dovbyk to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for a year.
On Thursday, Sport Witness relayed reports from Italy which suggest that a loan deal could be agreed – hardly a challenge, given that Everton’s owners would be negotiating with themselves - in the coming months. It’s not nailed on, with interest from Napoli throwing a potential spanner in the works, but it’s an exciting prospect for Everton.
For Dovbyk, it would be a chance to get back on track after a few months on the treatment table. For the Toffees, it would mean signing one of the continent’s most proven goalscorers and giving David Moyes the reliable target man he needs. For Roma, having his salary off the books would help to keep the bank manager happy during a difficult financial period for Italian football.
The books might be balanced even more easily if Napoli came in with a bid. Some reports suggest that they could be ready to offer €20m (£17.3m) and if proven true, that could be a tempting offer which the Friedkin Group can’t pass up just to service their other side. Roma, like many clubs in Serie A, sorely need to make some money in the transfer market.
That possibility aside, however, Everton may have a rather clear path to a striker who hit double figures for five years on the trot before injury intervened. But how much of a difference can he be expected to make?
Could Dovbyk be the striker that Everton have been praying for?
It’s been a little while since Everton had a truly first-rate number nine, and certainly a while since they had a striker who could be relied upon to provide a steady stream of goals. Dovbyk might just be the player they’ve been waiting for.
There is, of course, an unanswerable question to be asked about the damage that his hamstring injury might have done, but assuming that he’s fully fit by the start of next season he has both the goalscoring record and playing style to suggest that he could be a hit on Merseyside.
Tall, strong and powerful, Dovbyk fits the archetype of the traditional target man, a big presence at number nine who can occupy defenders and hold the ball up – but he’s also got a surprising turn of speed which, married with his intelligent movement, makes him a threat on the counter-attack.
For teams that play direct football, which Everton do under Moyes, Dovbyk is more or less the ideal forward, just as comfortable with his back to goal as he is cutting in between defenders to race on to long passes. Against teams with play with a high line, he’s dangerous in the space behind. Against a low block, he can occupy defenders and create space for others around him, all while posing a serious threat from set pieces with his sheer size.
There are criticisms to be made. His relative lack of technical class and a lack of creative spark somewhat undercuts his hold-up play, for instance, and he isn’t especially effective in the pressing game, lacking intensity or the ability to time challenges as he tracks defenders down. But his scoring record is so strong that those are more quibbles than causes to avoid signing him.
If Dovbyk can get back to his best after injury and if Everton’s owners decide to move him to Merseyside rather than selling him on elsewhere (and, of course, if the reports prove to be true, which is never guaranteed) then they could be getting a first-rate striker in his prime years – a player who could easily offer them the consistent goal threat they haven’t really had since Dominic Calvert-Lewin started spending more time on the treatment table than the pitch.
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