Toni Duggan has expressed her desire to return to England to play football and recent talk has linked her to a move back to her native Merseyside.
According to The Athletic, the England international is in line for a return to former side Everton ahead of the 2021/22 season.
Duggan started her senior career with the Toffees after coming through the youth ranks back in 2007. She spent six years with her girlhood club before Manchester City came knocking. The forward enjoyed a four-year spell with the WSL heavyweights, winning two League Cups, the FA Cup, and the league title all between 2014 and 2016.
After impressing in Manchester, Duggan made the move to Spain, where she plied her trade with Barcelona and current side Atletico Madrid. Now, she looks set to return to Everton to continue her career in England, but would she be a good fit for the Blues?
Girlhood passion
After graduating from the Everton academy and devoting six years to the club, the passion to play for her girlhood team will undoubtedly still be present for Duggan.
In her previous stint with the Toffees, the 29-year-old helped them achieve League Cup and FA Cup glory.
Manager Willie Kirk recently expressed his desire to push for Champions League football, something which Everton has not experienced since 2011. Being a part of the side to see the Blues host European nights once again will be a huge honour for Duggan, who has a strong personal connection with the club.
Champions League experience
Should Everton push their way into the WSL top three, Duggan will be the ideal signing to help them fare well in the Champions League.
The striker was part of the Barcelona side that took on Lyon in the 2019 final. Although they fell to the French giants at the last hurdle, the Catalonians had a solid run in Europe that year. Notable performances included their 4-0 win over LSK Kvinner in the quarter-finals and 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the semis.
Duggan's experience of playing against Europe's best sides will equip Everton with the knowledge they need to re-establish themselves in the competition.
Women's Super League pedigree
As a holder of a WSL winners' medal, Duggan knows what it takes to be the best of the best. Man City have won just one title in their history so far and Duggan was a big part of that side. She finished in the top five scorers for the season with five goals to her name, and enjoyed playing at the highest attended match that campaign.
With the experience of playing alongside world-class talent like Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton, and Nikita Parris, Duggan can impart that winning mentality onto her potential new teammates next season
England international
As an established and well-respected England international, Duggan would be a huge signing for Kirk and the Toffees. Their addition of Izzy Christiansen in 2019 was another statement signing, showing that Everton can indeed attract some of the biggest international names.
Duggan boasts 76 caps and 22 senior goals for the Lionesses and was part of the World Cup side that scooped third place back in 2015. She also played her part in England's SheBelieves Cup title win in 2019.
As a player who has played for top domestic sides and has a wealth of international experience, it's a no-brainer for Everton to add her to their ranks this summer.