Timothy Weah transfer could provide the supply line…

Timothy Weah transfer could provide the supply line Everton's strikers desperately need

His superstar father was once outshone at Goodison Park by Alex Nyarko but George Weah’s son Timothy provides a tantalising potential transfer prospect for Everton. Back on August 12, 2000, Weah senior, who had been a global football phenomenon while at previous employers AC Milan, turned out for Joe Royle’s Manchester City against the Blues in Joe Parkinson’s testimonial.

Despite a bright start from the Liberian international – who is now president of his homeland – he quickly faded as Everton triumphed 3-1 with a Niclas Alexandersson brace and an outrageous back-heel goal from Alex Nyarko. Timothy Weah, who has been capped 29 times to date by the USA, scoring four international goals, the latest of which came against Wales at the World Cup, was born earlier that year in Brooklyn, New York. Starting his career at Paris Saint-Germain, another of his dad’s former clubs, the winger had a loan spell at Celtic in 2019 before joining his current side Lille.

L’Equipe report that Everton are among a clutch of clubs seriously interested in signing Weah this month along with Premier League rivals Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion plus Spanish side Sevilla. The 22-year-old has started just three club games so far this season, coming off the bench nine times for Paulo Fonseca’s side having been suffering with a foot injury at the start of the campaign.

Although Weah’s primary position is on the right wing, he has often been deployed at right-back this term due to Akim Zedadka’s absence but his more withdrawn role hasn’t prevented him from posting some impressive attacking statistics. It’s been claimed that Weah also has a relatively modest release clause of just €15million which also makes him attractive to suitors.

Comparisonator’s Similarity Comparison algorithm calculates Arsenal’s teenage Brazilian winger Marquinhos as being the closest match to Weah currently plying his trade in the Premier League with a score of 82%. Also, correlating the American’s numbers this season to right wingers turning out in the English top flight through Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool shows he has plenty to offer.

Weah statistics from Ligue 1 would put him top of the charts for assists per 90 minutes with an average of 1.16, which puts him well ahead of nearest challengers, Michael Olise of Crystal Palace (0.48) and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (0.36) and is encouraging given that both of Everton’s main strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Neal Maupay have scored just one goal apiece. Only Salah (0.49) betters him for expected goals with Weah on 0.37 ahead of Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez (0.36).

The USA international would also be third for touches in the box (4.65) behind Salah (6.12) and Everton’s very own Demarai Gray (4.98) and fourth for expected assists (0.49), a category Gray tops on 0.76, before Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (0.53) and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva (0.5). Weah also demonstrates a creative streak as he would be third for successful key passes on 1.16 behind Fernandes (1.67) and Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford (1.2).

The Blues, who have a pivotal fixture at home to Southampton on Saturday, are now almost halfway into the January transfer window without any new signings. It’s understood that Frank Lampard has made attack-minded targets a priority with the intention of bringing in two new faces so the pressure to deliver is increasing but with reputed interest from elsewhere for those supposedly on their radar, director of football Kevin Thelwell is going to have to make some decisive moves and hope results on the pitch improve to help him with his sales pitch.

Comparisonator is a football data comparison tool from 271 professional leagues around the world which compares players and clubs by utilising over 100 different parameters. Click here for more details.

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