Giovani Lo Celso would be a great addition to Everton’s squad
Giovani Lo Celso was one of the young players to keep an eye on at the 2018 FIFA World Cup but he didn’t really get enough first-team action for Argentina to showcase his talent.
The highly-rated 22-year-old creative ace joined Paris Saint-Germain back in 2016 from Argentine club Rosario Central but was loaned back to his former club after making just 4 appearances. However, he was a regular for the French giants in the 2017/18 season where he registered 4 goals and 3 assists from 33 appearances in Ligue 1.
Lo Celso’s fine displays for PSG last season earned him a call-up to Argentina’s World Cup squad but he was loaned out La Liga outfit Real Betis at the start of the ongoing season after being deemed surplus to the club’s requirements.
The 22-year-old has taken his fine form into the Spanish top flight as well, scoring 2 goals and providing an assist from 11 appearances. The Argentine international has excelled in the UEFA Europa League as well, helping Real Betis to a 2-1 win over AC Milan with a goal and an assist.
Standing at 5ft. 10 inches with a relatively lean frame, Lo Celso is not the strongest of players of the pitch but he makes up for it with his creativity and eye for goal. A technically-gifted and tactically versatile attacking midfielder, Lo Celso has the ability to play in multiple positions in the midfield, being comfortable in playmaking and holding roles and can even operate from the left.
His fine technique allows him to keep exceptional close control and he definitely has the vision to play his teammates in behind the backline with inch-perfect passes. Lo Celso is equally adept at playing as a holding midfielder where he uses his good range of passing, both short and long, to dictate terms and build-up the play from the central areas of the pitch.
The 22-year-old has the ability to create his own space in the midfield, twisting and turning to work his way past the opposition and combines his tactical awareness with his incredible vision to set up attacks.
A tenacious and hardworking player, Lo Celso contributes a lot to the team in terms of work rate and is also known for his tackling, a trait rarely found among attacking midfielders. Furthermore, he has a magical left foot that is capable of producing moments of individual brilliance to light up the scene with incredible passes or curling efforts on goal.
The 22-year-old has averaged 1.4 key passes, 2.4 shots, 2.4 long balls and 1.6 dribbles per game in the Europa League this term, figures which speak volumes of his all-around ability as a midfielder. To add to that, he has averaged 53.8 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 86.2, which clearly shows that he is a good passer of the ball.
To put things into perspective, the Argentine sensation can be a useful addition to Everton’s squad. The Toffees have had a decent season so far and Marco Silva’s men sit 6th in the Premier League standings after losing 1-0 to rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
Everton’s aesthetic free-flowing attacking football under Marco Silva has been a treat to watch. Silva’s attacking philosophy has allowed the wingers and the attacking midfielders to get more involved in the game, extracting the best out of players like Richarlison, Glyfi Sigurdsson and Bernard.
Everton have promised a lot this season, especially, in the final third but the Toffees need more quality in their ranks if they are to challenge for a top-four spot in the Premier League. Gylfi Sigurdsson has been in tremendous form this season but he is the only No.10 that Everton have in their ranks at the moment. Kieran Dowell, 21, is not a proven player at the Premier League level and Bernard is at his best when he operates down the left.
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Hence, someone like Lo Celso can bring in a lot of quality to Everton’s squad and the Toffees should pursue an interest in the 22-year-old Argentine ahead of the January transfer window. He has all the attributes to be a perfect fit for Silva’s style of play and Everton can look forward to a top-four finish with the Argentine maestro in their squad.