Everton will need to further supplement their attacking ranks this summer to hit the ground running this season, with Sean Dyche setting his sights on Southampton striker Che Adams.
Who are Everton signing this summer?
According to multiple sources – including BBC Sport – the Toffees are closing on a deal for Sporting Lisbon striker Youssef Chermiti, aged 19, who broke into first-team contention last term.
Ashley Young has already been signed on a free transfer while Arnaut Danjuma arrives on a one-year loan transfer, but a recognised and established centre-forward would also be well-received as Everton strive to avoid another season mired in relegation troubles.
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And so, Adams – who was relegated with Saints last season – is also being considered for transfer, with Football Insider revealing the Merseyside outfit have a genuine interest in the Scotland international, with Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers also in pursuit.
Should Everton sign Che Adams?
Adams penned a deal with the south coast club for £15m from Birmingham City in 2019, and has scored 31 goals and supplied 15 assists from 145 outings across all competitions.
Once quirkily likened to "the ketchup bottle phenomenon" by former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl for maintaining his hunger for goals despite a concerning goal drought, Adams is the tenacious and multi-skilled striker Everton could benefit from.
He suffered an injury-disrupted campaign as Southampton fell into the second tier, but still plundered five goals and three assists from 23 starts, as per Sofascore, forging 1.7 shots and 0.9 key passes per match.
To compare this to Dyche's attacking options last term, Maupay scored once, averaging 1.2 shots and 0.3 key passes per match, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin only scored twice as he fought his own fight against injury, though did average 1.8 shots and 0.5 key passes per outing.
As per FBref, Adams is interestingly considered the most comparable player to Roma striker Tammy Abraham, and given the former Chelsea ace's dynamism and variety in attacking approach, Dyche could certainly benefit from adding a similar player to the ranks.
Abraham was once described as "incredible" by former manager Frank Lampard, and has impressed during his time in Italy, scoring 36 goals and supplying 12 assists from 107 appearances, winning the Conference League in the 21/22 campaign.
The 11-cap England international averaged 1.6 shots and 0.9 key passes per game last season and as such boasts a similar profile to Adams, which would only play in Everton's favour.
There is a cautious optimism that Calvert-Lewin will play a major role in the forthcoming campaign, and has been partaking in a new summer fitness regime to build his resilience.
The 6 foot 2 focal point will be the team's main goal-grabber if he can indeed put his medical issues behind him, and Adams could prove to be the perfect partner, offering a more dynamic, multi-faceted threat.
Abrahams once claimed that Jose Mourinho's tutelage in Rome was turning him into a "monster", and perhaps Dyche can play to Adams' strengths to a similar effect.
