Everton boss could replace DCL with exciting teen sensation
This “dynamic” teen sensation could take the Everton number ‘9’ spot from Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Everton have been cruelly dragged back down into a Premier League relegation battle in the past week after the club were docked ten points for breaching Financial Fair Play Regulations.
Nevertheless, while the Toffees are more at risk now than ever of dropping down to the Championship for the first time, Sean Dyche has built a defensively resilient side, capable of stopping even the best attacks in the league which can only be beneficial for the rest of the campaign.
This season, only Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace have conceded fewer goals in the bottom half of the table than Everton. However, Dyche’s main concern will be his side’s goalscoring consistency, having found the net just 14 times in 12 appearances.
Still, there is one player on Everton’s books who could become the team’s saviour in the box by the end of the campaign.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring stats at Everton
After Romelu Lukaku moved to Manchester United in 2017, Everton’s solution to the gaping hole up top was to sign a declining Wayne Rooney and an unknown Cenk Tosun to replace the Belgian’s 26 goals from the season prior. However, Lukaku’s real replacement was already at the club, having been signed for £1.5m from then-League One outfit Sheffield United in 2016.
It wasn’t until the 2019/20 campaign that the Toffees really began to see the fruits of their investment as Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged 15 goals during that term and followed this up by hitting 21 the season after under the legendary Carlo Ancelotti.
Unfortunately, the 6 foot 2 striker never reached these heights again. In fact, over the past three seasons, Calvert-Lewin has found the net just 11 times in all competitions, although recurring injuries certainly played their part in hampering his chance at getting a run in the team.
Stats via Transfermarkt
Calvert-Lewin is currently Everton’s joint-top goalscorer this season alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure with four each. However, the striker’s goals have significantly declined in recent seasons, which could leave the number ‘9’ position up for grabs at Goodison Park, and there is one frontman in the academy system who is knocking on Dyche’s door at the moment to come take that spot.
Francis Okoronkwo’s stats this season
Last week, it was announced that the highly-rated starlet Francis Okoronkwo signed a new deal with Everton, keeping him at the club until 2026. TEAMtalk revealed that the Toffees handed the 19-year-old a new contract in order to ward off interest from suitors who were circling like sharks for Okoronkwo.
The teenager’s deal was set to expire at the end of the current campaign, meaning Okoronkwo could have potentially left the club for nothing, having joined from Championship outfit Sunderland for £1m back in 2021.
The dynamic attacker has played in a number of positions in Everton’s U21s side and has bagged 16 goals and seven assists in 59 appearances since joining the club’s youth system, although he has yet to make his senior debut with the Toffees despite being called up to a number of matchday squads by Dyche during pre-season.
This season, the youngster hasn’t been as prolific as in recent seasons but has still found the net twice in eight appearances in the Premier League 2, while recording one assist, although Okoronkwo has bagged more than Everton’s £26m summer signing Beto.
Additionally, Calvert-Lewin boasts an xG per 90 of 0.41 but has scored merely 0.19 goals per 90 over the last 365 days, according to FBref, showing that the 26-year-old is underperforming in the final third.
Calvert-Lewin may remain Dyche’s first choice for the time being but Okoronkwo will certainly be keen to break into the senior squad and stake his claim for the centre-forward berth by the end of the campaign.
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