David Moyes endured a tough return to the Goodison Park dugout on Wednesday evening, with Everton defeated at home against Aston Villa. It was a narrow game, but then the Toffees need to capitalise on narrow margins going forward.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late miss extended his goalless run to 16 Premier League matches, and it’s getting very clear – if it wasn’t already – that the 27-year-old should be replaced this month, especially as he is out of contract this summer.
Armando Broja’s ankle injury is a cruel blow to a player looking for respite, but from a financial point of view, the loan star’s likely recall to Chelsea frees up space for Everton to bolster.
While a new striker is coveted, the Toffees’ new owners, The Friedkin Group, are sniffing around other positions too.
Everton eyeing January signing
According to TEAMtalk, Everton are showing ‘concrete’ interest in signing Ernest Nuamah, with the Lyon forward excitingly pursued alongside a new centre-forward.
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The report suggests that the Ligue 1 side are looking for a fee in the region of £25m for the youngster, although the Toffees could instead put forward a loan bid this month, which would include an option to buy.
While TFG might have reservations about adding a third right-wing loanee to the Goodison Park squad, Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison are struggling to cut the mustard.
Everton failed to sign the Ghana winger last summer but could now prevail after his struggles at Lyon this term. Given that it could be an initial short-term stay from January, Moyes might even repeat his Jesse Lingard masterclass.
Why Everton should sign Ernest Nuamah
Nuamah is still only 21 but has shown flashes of brilliance with Lyon, completing 51 appearances so far. Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as an “explosive, physical winger” and a “relentless threat.”
As per FBref, Nuamah ranks among the top 17% of positional peers in Ligue 1 this season for progressive carries and tackles per 90, highlighting a strong and varied skill set that could be perfect for Moyes’ system.
With a new centre-forward in the mix too, Everton may just be on the cusp of an exciting new strikeforce to launch the fresh chapter into the ascendency. Moyes loves a January addition, after all, welcoming Jarrod Bowen to the London Stadium as his first port of call in January 2020, a month after his appointment.
More pertinently to this case, though, Nuamah could prove to be the Scottish tactician’s next version of Lingard, with the former Three Lions star enjoying the most prolific spell of his career as a West Ham player.
Lingard signed for West Ham in January 2021 after sitting as a non-entity at Manchester United across the first half of the 2020/21 campaign.
Success in football is ephemeral and Lingard, now 32 and playing in South Korea, epitomised that, but his short stint under Moyes’ wing stands as one of the most iconic loan spells in Premier League history.
Matches (starts)
16
Goals
9
Assists
4
Shots (on target)*
2.6 (1.4)
Big chances missed
2
Pass completion
84%
Key passes*
1.1
Succ. dribbles*
1.1
Total duels won*
3.4
There’s a purple patch and then there’s a purple patch. Moyes will be hoping to repeat the trick with Nuamah, though perhaps with one eye on the future, and tying the Ghanaian down to a long-term stay on Merseyside that could shape him into a top-class Premier League star.
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