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Everton’s failure to land another striker before the transfer deadline has left David Moyes searching through a rapidly changing free agent market.
The Toffees began the season with Thierno Barry leading the line, but the sale of Beto to Fiorentina removed the only other recognised senior centre forward from the squad.
Everton striker Beto
A costly move for Folarin Balogun appeared set to solve that problem on deadline day before concerns emerged during his medical.
Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro later claimed the American was unhappy with how the process had been handled and chose not to complete the move.
Everton then tried to find a late alternative, with Joshua Zirkzee and Tammy Abraham among the forwards considered, but the window closed without another number nine arriving.
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|Free agents Everton could still sign|
|Player|Age|Last club|What he could offer Everton|Assessment|
|---|
|Anthony Martial|30|Monterrey|Premier League experience, pace and the ability to play centrally or from the left|The most obvious option and the only player with reported Everton contact, but his fitness and recent form are concerns|
|Joselu|36|Al-Gharafa|Aerial strength, hold-up play and a reliable presence inside the penalty area|Arguably the best stylistic fit for David Moyes, although his age makes him a short-term solution|
|Danny Ings|34|Sheffield United|Extensive English experience, intelligent movement and homegrown status|A straightforward emergency option, but injuries and declining output count against him|
|Mauro Icardi|33|Galatasaray|The strongest natural finisher still available and a proven penalty-box striker|The best player on the realistic shortlist, but wages and his likely expectations make a deal difficult|
|Ihlas Bebou|32|Hoffenheim|Speed, pressing and versatility across the frontline|An athletic alternative who could suit a counter-attacking role, subject to a thorough fitness assessment|
|Andrea Belotti|32|Cagliari|Physical effort, aggression and experience leading the line|A recognised name, but his goalscoring form has fallen sharply in recent seasons|
|Karim Benzema|38|Al-Hilal|Elite technique, finishing and leadership|Technically available but not a realistic Everton deal because of his age, likely demands and complicated image-rights position|
Moyes subsequently confirmed that Everton were examining the players still available without a club.
The manager also made it clear that he wants footballers capable of helping Everton move towards the top end of the table, rather than bodies brought in purely to increase his numbers.
That requirement matters because the list of available strikers may be long, but the number who are ready for immediate Premier League football is far smaller.
REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Jamie Vardy was strongly linked with a move to Merseyside after leaving Cremonese, only for the 39-year-old to sign for Championship side Burnley on Sunday.
Jordan Ayew was then suggested as another experienced option, but the Ghana international has now joined Sheffield United.
Everton can still sign an unattached player, yet every passing week makes match sharpness a greater issue.
Anthony Martial rejects Ligue 1 offers after initial Everton talks
REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez
Anthony Martial remains one of the most recognisable players available, and Everton have explored a possible deal.
Foot Mercato's Sebastian Denis now backs other reports that the Toffees recently held brief discussions to establish whether bringing Martial back to the Premier League was realistic.
Those conversations are not described as advanced talks and there is no suggestion that Everton submitted a contract offer. An unnamed club competing in this season’s Champions League also looked closely at Martial before deciding against taking the matter further.
anthony-martial-manchester-united
The former Man United forward has received firmer interest from France, with two unnamed Ligue 1 clubs said to have offered him contracts, with one operating near the top of the division and the other expected to fight against relegation.
Foot Mercato states that neither club was Nice or Lens. Both proposals would have placed Martial in an experienced supporting role, rather than making him an automatic starter, yet the 30-year-old rejected them.
That decision is interesting because Martial has previously been open to returning to French football, where he began his senior career with Lyon before joining Monaco.
He is instead waiting for an opportunity that matches what he wants from the next stage of his career.
Should Everton take a gamble on Anthony Martial?
anthony martial
Martial has been without a club since reaching an agreement to end his Monterrey contract during the summer.
His Monterrey spell ended earlier than planned, while a dislocated shoulder also interrupted his final season in Mexico. He has not appeared in a competitive match since facing Cruz Azul in March and is currently working on his fitness away from a club.
That lack of recent action would be an obvious consideration for Everton, who require somebody capable of supporting Barry as quickly as possible.
Martial knows the Premier League after spending nine seasons with United and can operate through the middle or from the left.
For now, however, Everton’s contact appears to have been exploratory and nothing more.
The Frenchman’s rejection of two concrete offers shows that he is prepared to wait, leaving both his future and Everton’s striker search unresolved, but it still gives the Toffees a chance of signing him.
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