Transfer Uncertainty, £26m Conundrum, Emergency Solution: Everton Struggle to Resolve Major Issue Amid Ongoing Talks

The state of Everton’s striker situation is uninspiring, to say the least—and that’s nothing new. Despite Sean Dyche’s side ending last season well clear of relegation, even with the eight-point deduction, only last-place Sheffield United scored fewer goals than the Toffees.

As we look forward to this season, there is, unfortunately, still little reason for Evertonians to be too hopeful that The Toffees’ front line will be full of goals. With several players’ futures at the club in doubt, Everton’s strike force has plenty to prove in the season to come.

Whether or not Everton’s number nine will be there by the time Goodison hosts Brighton on the first day of the season is very much up in the air. Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn’t seem too far away from joining ex-Blue Anthony Gordon at Newcastle before the move collapsed.

However, that doesn’t mean the 27-year-old couldn’t still leave the club he’s been at for the past eight years. The striker has yet to agree on a new contract with the club, and with 12 months left on his current deal, Everton may be forced to sell Calvert-Lewin.

The Englishman’s form in recent years is far from a thrilling endorsement for the club to keep hold of him. Calvert-Lewin’s injury issues are well-known, but when he has found himself leading the line, he has only managed to score 14 times in the last three seasons.

This figure is two less than his most impressive 2021/22 tally alone, when he scored 16 goals under Carlo Ancelotti.

To be fair to the club, reinforcements have been brought in over the last few years to bring goals to the team when Calvert-Lewin is either injured or out of form. Unfortunately, those reinforcements have also continuously struggled in front of goal.

Beto, who signed from Udinese last summer in a deal worth around £26m, could already be leaving the club if reports are to be believed, after the Portuguese striker impressed on too few occasions in his first season.

After scoring on his debut in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster, the 26-year-old netted just three times in the league, although his first league goal was a stunning team effort in the 3-0 thrashing of Newcastle.

Despite certain reports, Beto recently expressed his strong desire to have a better second season than the first. The forward is keen to silence the ‘haters’—something Sean Dyche will undoubtedly welcome if it means his team can score more goals.

Neal Maupay also faces an uncertain future, as his form for Everton has been poor—can you notice a pattern? The Frenchman was signed two summers ago by Frank Lampard and has only scored one goal since his arrival.

He did, in fairness, spend the large majority of last season on loan at his former club Brentford, where he netted six times for the Bees. The striker has expressed his desire to leave Everton and stay with Brentford, but it doesn’t seem as though Thomas Frank is willing to sign him permanently.

Maupay is currently with the Everton squad in pre-season and played the first half in the draw with Sligo Rovers, but his transfer status currently seems to be in a state of limbo.

Not all hope is lost for Everton’s striker department, thankfully, as there is reason to be excited about the potential of Youssef Chermiti. The 20-year-old, despite not scoring in his debut Premier League season, has shown promise in his appearances off the bench for the Blues.

Everton’s 1-0 win against Brentford was the Portuguese striker’s only league start last season, but he has managed to show a bit of energy and flair that Evertonians may feel Calvert-Lewin and Beto have lacked at times.

Chermiti finally displayed his finishing ability by scoring a brace against Sligo Rovers in Everton’s first pre-season match—hopefully a sign of things to come for the young forward this season in what could be a breakout campaign.

So, now that we’ve examined Everton’s striker options, where does this leave us? It’s clear Dyche needs an uptick in form from all his strikers; otherwise, he might find himself in another dreaded scrap for survival.

New signing Iliman Ndiaye, who is expected to play in the Abdoulaye Doucoure role behind the striker, may be relied upon to get the goals otherwise.

A new striker may be brought in if Everton’s number nine departs, but until then, Evertonians find themselves in the same position they were in for much of last season—pleading that a striker can find their shooting boots. If all else fails, however, Michael Keane could lead the line for The Toffees.