Everton Opinion: Signing Bertrand Traore would be a huge statement of intent from the Toffees
According to Liverpool Echo, Everton are set to firm up their interest in Lyon winger Bertrand Traore ahead of the summer transfer window, with reports claiming that Toffees Director of Football Marcel Brands is likely to push hard for a deal to bring the 23-year-old back to the Premier League.
Traore was signed as a promising youngster from French club Auxerre and excelled on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Eredivisie before securing a work-permit to play for the Blues in the 2015-16 season of the Premier League.
The winger started 4 Premier League games for Chelsea in the 2015-16 season and scored a couple of goals but he was surplus to the demands soon after and shipped out on loan to Ajax.
The 23-year-old was one of the key driving forces behind Ajax’s march to the finals of the 2016-17 Europa League where he contributed with 4 goals and 4 assists, besides netting 9 goals in the Eredivisie as well.
His heroics in the Netherlands earned him a permanent move to Ligue 1 club Lyon in the summer of 2017 and his stocks have rocketed sky-high ever since.
Traore bagged 11 goals and 4 assists from 46 appearances for Lyon in all competitions this past season and his red-hot form has put him on the verge of a return to the Premier League with Everton, who are believed to be interested in securing his services this summer.
Essentially a right-winger by trade, Traore has the versatility to play on either side of the pitch and also as a striker in a two-man attack. Known for his lightning pace, silky dribbling skills, nimble feet and quick acceleration, the Burkinese international can be a devastating presence down the right, which allows him to cut inside with his stronger left foot.
The jet-heeled winger, who has 7 goals in 49 international appearances for Burkina Faso, combines his pace, acceleration and upper body strength with his drive, determination and dribbling skills to terrorise full-backs.
A sharp and agile wide player with a bagful of trickery, he knows how to create space with his directness, while also possessing well-rounded passing and crossing attributes to set up goals for his teammates.
Traore boasts of a pass success percentage of 82.7, which is excellent for a pacy winger. He always seems to have that guile up his sleeve- moving the ball around quickly in the final third and using short exchanges and deft layoffs to link up with his teammates.
He has a good eye for goal too, with his wonderful left foot more than capable of calling the goalkeeper into action from range. Moreover, his pace can be a big asset to any team during counter-attacking situations.
To put things into perspective, it is easy to see why Everton could strike gold by bringing the former Chelsea man to Goodison Park this summer. The Toffees have done reasonably well in their first season under Marco Silva and finished the campaign on a high, stringing together victories over Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea.
However, they have to be more consistent next season to close the gap on the top-six and challenge for a Europa League spot.
While a replacement for Cenk Tosun or an upgrade on Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front should be a top priority for Everton this summer, the Toffees also need to invest in their wide options.
The arrival of a new centre-forward would see Richarlison shift back to a left-wing role with Bernard as a back-up but lack of depth in right-wing options can come back to haunt Marco Silva.
Theo Walcott hasn’t done an awful lot and the former Arsenal man hasn’t lived up to the expectations at Merseyside whatsoever. Ademola Lookman, on the other hand, has struggled for regular minutes and he is not really the finished article that Everton need to challenge for a European spot next season.
Bertrand Traore has proven his worth against top-quality opposition in Ligue 1, as well as in the Europa League and Champions League, and he can be an instant upgrade on the likes of Walcott and Lookman down that right-hand side of the pitch.
The 23-year-old has a wonderful European record and a youngster of his calibre can certainly add a lot of firepower to Everton’s attack. Not only that, he is a player with plenty of potential and there is every possibility that he could evolve into a world-class star in the future.
To Read More Everton News, Click Here:- Latest Everton News
That said, Everton would take a step closer to making a return to the European stage by securing the services of Bertrand Traore and striking a deal for him would be a massive statement of intent from the Toffees.
