Everton are nine games unbeaten in the Premier League. Nine. David Moyes lost his opener against Aston Villa after replacing the beleaguered Sean Dyche, but the progress has been otherwise breathtaking.
This Toffees team is a far cry from the previous version, refashioned only a few months ago with just Charly Alcaraz welcomed from the transfer gates in January.
If the 15th-placed club are to compete at a higher level over the coming years, it's important that the market is well utilised. What Everton need is a superstar signing, comparatively speaking.
Lindstrom-Doucoure-Ndiaye-Everton
Well, The Friedkin Group certainly have a shock move lined up. You need only look over to Anfield Road to find this player's signature.
Everton lining up move for Liverpool star
According to recent reports, via The Mirror, Everton are weighing up a move for Liverpool talent Ben Doak in what would be a shocking transfer. Doak has excelled on loan at Middlesbrough this season and Moyes is thoroughly impressed.
Ben Doak in action for Scotland
The Toffees are preparing to test the waters with a £25m offer, which falls into a similar ballpark as bids from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace back in January, both rebuffed by the Reds.
Dealings between the Merseyside rivals have been sparse in modern times. In fact, Abel Xavier is the last player to transfer directly between the two teams, joining Liverpool from Everton in 2002.
Everton could land their next Wayne Rooney
Let's be honest, this would be as difficult a deal to orchestrate as any. However, saying that, Liverpool have been open to selling Doak in recent months and their ostensible interest in Jarrad Branthwaite suggests negotiations could be somewhat amenable.
Ben Doak in action for Middlesbrough
And Doak would be worth the effort. Only 19, the Scotland winger has dazzled through the maiden years of his career, so brisk and powerful and purposeful down the right flank.
On that note, with Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom's loans at Goodison Park wrapping up this summer, the urgency for a fresh right flanker is doubly important.
Across 24 Championship appearances this term (21 starts), he's scored three goals and assisted seven more, leading former Scotland manager Craig Levein to say: "This kid could be a world-class player."
Few teenagers carry themselves with such swagger and potency, but Doak's certainly one of them. Moyes knows a thing or two about developing exciting prospects - he handed Wayne Rooney his professional debut, after all.
Rooney: scorer of great goals, leader of men. He's one of the greatest footballers to do it in the Premier League, behind only Alan Shearer and Harry Kane in the division's all-time scoring charts (with 208 goals).
Any youngster compared to the retired Three Lions captain is worth their salt, and Doak has indeed been claimed to have a stylistic semblance to Rooney, with his agent, Jackie McNamara, actually labelling him "a Scottish Wayne Rooney."
His electric pace, his strong-limbed bursts into the danger area, do carry a hint of the former Premier League star, with Doak's metrics from the 2024/25 campaign highlighting his barrelling style.
Championship Stats 24/25 - Ben Doak
Stats
Goals scored
Assists
Shot-creating actions
Pass completion
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Successful take-ons
All stats via FBref
Everton need such a player, and Moyes has shown in the past that he has the tactical nous to bring the best out of such a youngster's talent.
Now, it boils down to Liverpool and Everton's ability to negotiate. It won't be easy, but this could be quite the deal if pulled off.
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