Joel Piroe rather than Viktor Gyokeres could be the prolific Championship striker to solve Everton’s scoring woes with Swansea City manager Michael Duff admitting he was expecting offers for his best players and “if they are the right bids they will go.”
After posting the lowest equivalent points total in the club’s 135-year history in the Football League/Premier League, coming within a Abdoulaye Doucoure wonder-strike on the final day of the season from a first relegation in 72 years and netting just 34 goals in 38 games, the Blues are in desperate need of additional firepower. Director of football Kevin Thelwell was understood to have been planning to bring in two new attackers in the January transfer window but Everton were the only club fighting in the battle against the drop not to strengthen their squad.
Thelwell and manager Sean Dyche are now prioritising forward options – along with a left-back – ahead of the 2023/24 season as the Blues, whl have lost Yerry Mina, Asmir Begovic and on-loan Conor Coady from last term, attempt to avoid a third consecutive relegation fight. Despite raking in almost £70million this year through the sales of Anthony Gordon and Moise Kean, funds are believed to be tight and after failing to raise the £12million that Aston Villa wanted for Danny Ings in the winter window and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri declaring: “If we need a striker, we’ll get one,” Everton, with James Maryniak now interim chief finance officer following Grant Ingles’ resignation last month, somehow have to put together suitable packages to prise targets from their present employers.
