What a season it was for Everton, finishing 5th in the Premier League in Roberto Martinez’s first year as manager, the team seems even better than when David Moyes left it in May 2013. The signings of James McCarthy and loan deals of Gerard Deulofeu and Gareth Barry have of course been a massive help to this fantastic finish, but one signing in particular that caught the eye, was of Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea. The Belgian forward scored 15 goals in the league, which is a very good return. However, it will be unlikely that they should be able to bring him back to Goodison next year, although it would be considered a massive coup should they manage it. But just in case, these are 3 options I think they should look at…
Wilfried Bony
He’s a near carbon copy of Lukaku in terms of his sheer power, strength and pace. The Ivorian managed an impressive 16 league goals, a fantastic return for a striker in his first Premier League season. Swansea will want to do all they can to hang on to Bony, so the asking price could possibly be out of Everton’s price range.
Carlos Bacca
The Colombian striker scored 14 goals in 35 La Liga appearances last term, as well as 9 assists, and standing at 6ft tall, is not lacking in height and may have the necessary physical side to his game to adapt to the Premier League. Sevilla would also be unwilling to sell cheap, but this may be a more affordable option than Wilfried Bony. Here is a video to show you what the Colombian is capable of:
Emmanuel Riviere
Managing 10 goals in 30 games for Monaco last season, Riviere’s pace and strength would fit well into the Premier League game. He’d definitely be the cheapest option, but whether he could consistently deliver for the Merseyside club may be an issue. Here is a clip to demonstrate the qualities Rivere possesses:
To summarise, Everton should try and get one of these 3 forwards if they want to try and build on the successful season they had last year.
