Why Everton should reignite their interest in Marcus Thuram
Back in June 2019, a report from German outlet Sport Bild (h/t Liverpool Echo) had mentioned Everton and Newcastle United among the potential suitors for highly-rated French forward Marcus Thuram, who was then plying his trade with Guingamp.
However, Thuram poured cold water on interest from the Premier League clubs and eventually signed for German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2019. The 23-year-old has since blossomed into one of the most decorated young attackers in Europe.
Profile
Marcus Thuram started his professional career with Sochaux in Ligue 2. He spent three seasons at the club but managed to score only once in 43 appearances across all competitions.
Despite a lacklustre start to his career in the French second-tier, Guingamp played a gamble on his massive potential and brought Thuram to the top-flight in the summer of 2017. He managed meagre returns of 4 goals in 34 outings in his debut season at Guingamp but shot to prominence with a 13-goal haul in the following campaign as Guingamp were eventually relegated.
Thuram then went to enjoy an impressive debut season at Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany, registering 14 goals and 9 assists in 39 appearances last term. The 23-year-old has kicked on from where he signed off last season, scoring thrice in 10 appearances across all competitions.
The former French U-21 international has only managed a single goal in 6 league appearances this season but has been quite unstoppable in the Champions League. He delivered a man-of-the-match performance in Monchengladbach’s 2-2 draw away at Inter Milan on Matchday 1 and capped off a similar feat with a brace as the German outfit held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw.
Thuram would add more quality to Everton’s attack
The arrival of James Rodriguez in the summer has led to the formation of a devastating front trio at Goodison Park. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is currently the joint top-scorer in the Premier League with 8 goals in 8 games, has been well supported by the Colombian on the right and Richarlison on the left as a part of Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred three-man attack.
Everton started the 2020-21 campaign with a bang, winning each of their first four games heading into the first international break. Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez, and Richarlison were all instrumental with their creative and goalscoring influence as the Toffees enjoyed their best start to a PL season since 1969-70.
The Toffees, though, have struggled to find the same rhythm whenever any one of those three regular starters has been missing from the starting eleven. Everton’s back-to-back losses against Southampton, Newcastle and Manchester United have highlighted the lack of quality alternatives in Ancelotti’s attack.
With Theo Walcott and Moise Kean departing on loan in the summer, Everton currently find themselves short of quality cover in the final third. The likes of Alex Iwobi, Bernard, and Gylfi Sigurdsson just haven’t done enough over the past 12 months to inspire enough confidence. Hence, they should make a renewed attempt to sign Marcus Thuram when the market reopens in January.
The 23-year-old has the versatility to operate as a winger on either side of the pitch while also having the necessary skill set to lead the line as an out-and-out centre-forward. Such a trait of versatility would offer Ancelotti with some top-quality cover in more than one area across the forward line.
Verdict
Marcus Thuram is right up there with the best young attacking players in the continent and already has considerable top-flight experience in both France and Germany. His top-drawer displays against elite clubs like Real Madrid and Inter Milan in the Champions League is a testament to his massive potential.
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Everton need more than one quality player competing for places in each department if they are to break the top-six lock and make a return to Europe. Thuram has already started to deliver on his potential and is only going to get better with time. Working under a charismatic manager like Ancelotti will surely do his development a world of good.
Thuram is not going to come cheap if Everton do reignite their interest in the Frenchman, who still has a contract at Monchengladbach until 2023. However, the Toffees have shown in the recent past that they are not afraid to splash the cash in the market. With Thuram very much a top-quality talent, a significant outlay would definitely make a lot of sense.
