Well, it looks like David Moyes is gearing up to make a stunning return to Goodison Park for the final months of the Everton Stadium’s journey.
How poetic. However, Moyes has been targetted by The Friedkin Group due to his expertise and track record with struggling Premier League outfits, leading West Ham United to European glory in similar conditions back in December 2019. That, incidentally, was also the 61-year-old’s second stint with the Hammers.
You’d think that the Scotsman would be seeking assurances in the transfer market this month as he looks to steer away from the negative football that Sean Dyche employed before his dismissal, all the while keeping a strong and structured base.
Up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has flattered to deceive this term and has gone 15 top-flight matches without a goal or assist. With Armando Broja’s fitness levels raising question, it’s crucial that a new forward is signed.
Everton's striker search
Everton supporters have celebrated 15 goals in the Premier League this season, making it the second-lowest return in the division and worthy of a final place in the bottom three.
15.
Man Utd
23
15=
Leicester
23
17.
Crystal Palace
21
18.
Ipswich
20
19.
Everton
15
20.
Southampton
12
The hope is that Moyes can maintain the defensive security that has been a staple of Dyche’s style while rekindling the Toffees’ attacking verve, and he could achieve that through a new forward: namely, Georges Mikautadze.
Toward the end of December, French outlet Foot Mercato revealed that Everton are one of the clubs in the running for Lyon’s Mikautadze, who joined the club from divisional rivals Metz for joined the club from divisional rivals Metz for €18m (£15m) last summer but could be made transferrable due to the stricken club’s financial issues.
The return of Moyes might convince the Georgia international – who has scored seven goals in all competitions this season – to make the somewhat risky move to Merseyside, not least because he could be the Scottish manager’s next version of Jarrod Bowen.
Mikautadze could be Moyes' next Jarrod Bowen
When Moyes returned to east London in December 2019, he didn’t leave it long until he forked out £22m for Hull City’s Bowen, viewing the versatile forward as the perfect mid-season signing option to lift West Ham away from the relegation fodder.
Bowen now captains the Irons and scored the winning goal as they won the Conference League in 2023, posting 107 goal contributions across 223 appearances in total. He’s been praised as a West Ham “legend” by presenter Tom Rennie.
Mikautadze could be Everton’s talisman in the same vein as the Three Lions star, for he ranks among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his own dynamic skill set.
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Let’s look at how that compares with Bowen’s own metrics within the same parameters. The 28-year-old ranks among the top 12% for assists, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, 4% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90.
A menace at Euro 2024 with Georgia, the 24-year-old Mikautadze – who, like Bowen, can operate on flanks or through the middle – scored three goals from four matches, also creating five key passes and completing seven dribbles, as per Sofascore.
With Lyon in the trenches, he does have some experience in battling through adversity, but this dynamic and positionally flexible talent carries the same kind of mechanics as Bowen – and Moyes knows a thing or two about getting the best out of such a profile.
With the aforementioned Calvert-Lewin struggling to fire and out of contract this summer, such an addition could be crucial to Moyes’ hopes of success back at Goodison.
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