David Moyes faces one of the biggest challenges of his coaching career following his return to managing Everton.
The Toffees are in a relegation battle, make no bones about it. The Scot will have to conjure up all his magic to ensure they remain in the Premier League ahead of moving into their new stadium for next term.
He will have to get the best out of his squad, especially Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been poor this season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s faltering season in numbers
The striker has scored just two goals in 19 top-flight appearances this season. For a player who has the required qualities to be one of the finest attackers in the league, the Englishman has been a shadow of his former self throughout 2024/25,
Recent reports now link the player with a move to Atalanta and perhaps this is the right time for Moyes to sell the 27-year-old, especially considering it is the last chance he will be able to secure a fee for him.
Having missed 74 games since the start of the 2020/21 season, have these issues finally caught up with him?
If he does leave, Moyes will need to sign a replacement. He could turn to Ligue 1 to sign one.
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Everton searching for Calvert-Lewin upgrade
It was reported by ESPN last week that Everton have been in contact with the entourage of PSG centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani ahead of making a potential move.
A fee of around €60m (£50m) is being demanded by the French giants, although a loan deal with an obligation to buy has been touted and this could entice Everton into making a move.
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Kolo Muani’s stats since joining PSG (league only) |
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|---|---|---|
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Metric |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
|
Goals |
6 |
2 |
|
Assists |
5 |
1 |
|
Shots per game |
0.8 |
1.6 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
2 |
|
Scoring frequency (minutes) |
211 |
175 |
|
Via Sofascore |
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There is no doubt the Frenchman would be an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, despite his struggles in the French capital of late.
The striker has scored just twice this season, although he has registered a higher shot-on-target percentage than Calvert-Lewin (13% vs 5%), created more big chances (two vs one) and succeeded with more dribble attempts (0.7 vs 0.4) in their respective leagues.
Hailed as a “future superstar” by German icon Lothar Matthäus during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, the striker is even similar to Harry Kane.
Indeed, according to stats-led website FBref, the Bayern Munich star is the ninth-most comparable player to Kolo Muani across Europe’s top five leagues.
Why? Well, the pair have also registered similar statistics domestically across a range of metrics, which include shots per 90 (3.77 vs 3.64), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.27 vs 3.96), successful take-on percentage (50% vs 57.1%) and aerial duels won (9 vs 12), suggesting they operate in a similar way when it comes to leading the line.
Kane is arguably one of the finest centre-forwards in the world, showcasing his qualities in the Bundesliga since moving from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023.
If Moyes can land Kolo Muani this month, he won’t just have an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, but also a player who is similar to Kane.
Should he hit the ground running, the Toffees should avoid relegation comfortably.
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