According to recent reports from The Sun, Carlo Ancelotti is ready to launch a cut-price swoop for Napoli attacker Arkadiusz Milik.
The 26-year-old boasts a solid return of 48 goals in 122 appearances for the Italian side, but was left out of their registered Serie A squad for the new season - meaning the only football he’s played in 2020/21 so far has come with Poland in the Nations League.
But Milik played under Ancelotti during the Everton gaffer’s spell in Naples and recent reports claim Ancelotti is eyeing a reunion at a discounted price.
The former Ajax man’s contract is up at the end of the season, meaning Napoli now face a choice of selling him off in January or losing him for nothing next summer.
Accordingly, Ancelotti is reportedly hoping a fee in the region of £10m could be enough to bring Milik to Goodison Park - but would he be a wise signing for the Toffees?
GIVEMESPORT writers Jack Saville, Matt Dawson and Christy Malyan attempt to answer one simple question: should Everton swoop for Milik? Read their answers below…
Jack Saville
“At £10m the signing of Milik would be a seriously cunning swoop. Not only does Milik boast 55 caps at international level and a wealth of experience in the Champions League, he also offers an enticing alternative to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
“Milik is just one cm smaller than Calvert-Lewin, offering an imposing physical presence at centre-forward and a focal point for quicker, more dynamic attacking players to feed off, but the Napoli outcast is more comfortable with the ball at his feet than he is in the air.
“Last season Milik won 1.4 aerials per game in Serie A, whereas Calvert-Lewin has already managed 4.6 per game this season. Add in the fact that the Polish striker is left-footed and it's clear that Carlo Ancelotti would have a different option to tinker with depending on the key traits of the opponents' defensive unit.
“Given Milik has plenty of his best years ahead of him at just 26, this is a no-brainer for Everton if they're serious about challenging the Premier League elite.”
Matt Dawson
“£10m for a player of Milik's calibre would certainly be an interesting piece of business. However, one has to question whether it's the right move for any party.
“Napoli would be losing a prized asset for a low fee and Milik would be second in the pecking order at the Toffees.
“Of course, it's important Calvert-Lewin has some competition but one of the main reasons the Polish striker didn't sign for Spurs in the summer was because he'd be playing second fiddle to Harry Kane.
“On Merseyside, he'd only suffer the same ordeal but to another English striker. Ancelotti may know the player well but he shouldn't be fooled - this deal wouldn't go well.”
Christy Malyan
“Everton’s recent run of four games without a win has highlighted Carlo Ancelotti’s biggest problem at Goodison right now.
“When his first-choice XI are all available, the system works incredibly well and there’s enough quality in the side to give any Premier League team a run for their money. But as soon as a few players are sidelined, the Toffees struggle to function with the same effectiveness.
“Everton have done well in attracting some top talents to the club this summer, chiefly James Rodriguez and Allan, but the depth of the squad still leaves something to be desired, especially in the attacking third.
“Milik would have a huge impact in that respect. This is a player with 28 goals in his last two Serie A campaigns, as well as 15 strikes for Poland.
“Whether he’s playing alongside, as backup to or even sharing game-time with Calvert-Lewin, the 26-year-old would instantly make Everton less dependent on a few key individuals and give the gaffer more options to play with.
“In short, he solves Ancelotti’s biggest issue, at a cost of just £10m.”