Everton may still move for “two or three forwards” for Frank Lampard’s squad at Goodison Park this month, but may only end up signing one after Ellis Simms was surprisingly from his loan spell at Sunderland, transfer insider Dean Jones has suggested to GiveMeSport.
The Toffees are looking to add more goalscoring prowess to their side having only scored 14 Premier League goals in 18 fixtures.
Everton transfer news – January
Everton’s January transfer plans are set to take a twist, with Football Insider sources stating that head coach Lampard could be sacked before their next Premier League fixture against Southampton.
That comes after a 4-1 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday evening, which left the Toffees in the relegation zone as we approach the midway point of the campaign.
Jones has recently told GiveMeSport that he expects the Merseyside club to look at potential deals for Blackburn Rovers and Chile striker Ben Brereton Díaz and Coventry City and Sweden international Viktor Gyökeres as the Toffees look to add more firepower in the final third of the pitch.
Meanwhile, the club have surprisingly recalled Simms from his loan spell at Sunderland, after the 21-year-old scored seven goals in 17 Championship appearances for the Black Cats during his time at the Stadium of Light this season.
And Jones believes that the Oldham-born striker’s return could mean that Everton only end up making one forward addition this month.
What has Jones said about Everton’s January transfer business?
Jones told GiveMeSport: “I think they'll still go for two or three forwards but they might only end up getting one. I guess that could be the case.”
Do Everton need to add another forward?
Everton are in dire need of another centre-forward who is going to have the ability to score the goals that will secure the club’s place in the Premier League for next season.
The Toffees’ current top goalscorer is Demarai Gray who has hit the back of the net five times this campaign, with Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil following with three and two goals respectively and nobody else adding more than just a singular strike, according to BBC Sport.
Therefore, it’s no wonder why the club could be prepared to dip into the Championship market for one of Gyökeres, with the pair scoring a combined 21 second-tier goals so far this campaign.
With Simms now potentially acting as a genuine option for the Goodison Park outfit heading into the crunch time of the campaign, Farhad Moshiri may feel that the need for a forward has lessened during the winter transfer market.
But the hierarchy will now need to focus on the next steps both on and off the pitch, with Lampard’s future likely to dictate the club's movement in the January window.
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