David Moyes looks on from the Everton touchlineplaceholder image
David Moyes looks on from the Everton touchline | Getty Images
Everton have been linked with a transfer bid for a Premier League star with the world at his feet - and plenty to prove.
By any sensible standards, Everton’s first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium – and their first full campaign under the new ownership – has been very satisfying. David Moyes’ appointment has proved to be shrewd, the club seem to be in a solid and stable place, and there is the sense of gradual forward movement. Keeping that up over the summer may be tricky, however.
The Friedkin Group will still be operating under financial constraints due to the mistakes of the old administration, and Everton are unlikely to be big spenders when the transfer window re-opens – and they face pressure to sell star players like Iliman Ndiaye, a rumoured target for Manchester United. Coming out of the summer as a better team while sticking to the budget won’t be easy. One alleged transfer target, however, would help Everton to take a big step towards that goal: Manchester City’s Rico Lewis.
Why Rico Lewis is precisely what Everton need this summer
There is, perhaps, a school of thought which suggests that Everton need a dynamic, overlapping wing-back to plug the evident gap on the right side of their defence – a player who would suit their direct attacking style more neatly than the game but ultimately limited Jake O’Brien has. But so long ass Moyes is content with a slightly more conservative option, then Lewis would make a very fine signing indeed.
Lewis has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad this season and recent media reports suggest that he could be available for around £30m this summer, with Everton expected to be among the suitors. Given Lewis’ skillset, the link makes plenty of sense.
While not the most naturally dynamic or fluent player to earn a place in a Pep Guardiola side, Lewis’ sheer efficiency made him a regular with Manchester City for a while – and, of course, an England international with five caps to his name. He may have fallen out of favour this season, but his pedigree is unquestionable.
Lewis has established himself already as one of the most reliable and economical players in possession in the English game – whether he’s playing right-back, left-back or in midfield, he almost never seems to misplace the ball and has the sense of space to ensure that he’s almost always available to receive a pass and keep play ticking over.
Add in rock solid defensive positioning and poise in one-on-one situations, and Lewis feels like a very Evertonian sort of player: Not flashy, perhaps, but hard-working, redoubtable and rock solid in all of the areas which matter.
His versatility makes him especially attractive to a side like Everton who are unlikely to head into next season with an especially extensive squad. He might be targeted to fill the long-standing hole at right-back, but he can step into midfield or play down the left as required. Really, his only meaningful weakness is a lack of composure and productivity in the final third – and he is still just 21 years old. He has time to round out his game.
£30m for a young player who provides both considerable potential and immediate solidity is something of a steal, and makes immense sense given Everton’s ambitions and short-term position. But how likely is it that a deal gets over the line?
Will Everton sign Rico Lewis in the next transfer window?
While several reports have made the link between Everton and Lewis, it’s fair to note that it remains a story which has circulated only among the gossipier sections of the media. None of the most trustworthy sources have yet reported that Everton might make a move, although that isn’t atypical this far from the transfer window.
Those same rumours – reported by outlets such as TEAMtalk and repeated elsewhere – also suggest that quite a few teams are keeping tabs on Lewis. Newcastle, Sunderland, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Brentford have all been mentioned.
That makes sense. Lewis isn’t a player that would necessarily excite an elite side, and a developmental stint at a mid-table team that will be more accepting of his limitations seems like a logical next step in his career. His talent is such that most teams around the middle of the Premier League will at least take a look. Working out which of them are truly keen and which are simply window shopping, or having their name thrown into reports for the hell of it, is more of a challenge.
If Everton are interested – and their interest would certainly be very rational given the alleged asking price – then they may face stiff competition. But they can at least offer Lewis a project which seems to be headed in the right direction and the opportunity to stay in the North West if he so desires.
But it remains to be seen whether they are ready to make a formal bid this summer, or whether any of the competition could outgun them if they do. This could be a story which leads nowhere, as so many transfer rumours do, and it’s difficult to weigh the meat on the bones this far away from the end of the season. But some stories simply make sense – and this is one of them. Lewis and Everton would be a very strong fit for both parties.
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