Everton missed out on bargain free transfer of Lukas Nmecha | OneFootball

Everton’s financial issues could act them to move smart in the summer transfer window, and it’s quite likely that unless a number of key players are sold to raise funds, free agents and loan moves will be targeted.

While Rafa Benitez will certainly not go down in Everton history as anything more than a disastrous appointment, his successor Frank Lampard may need to follow in his footsteps from the Spaniard’s dealings in last summer’s transfer window, and control the club’s finances well.

Signings like Andros Townsend and Demerai Gray may not have been the kind of marquee, electrifying signings that fans would have been hoping for before the start of this season, but they have both got excellent re-sell values that will bring in good profit for the club, should they depart.

Should Everton have signed Lukas Nmecha in 2017?

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No!

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One free agent that the club almost secured a number of years ago was Lukas Nmecha, who at the time was contemplating whether or not to renew his contract at Manchester City.

This was back in 2017, former Everton director of football Steve Walsh planning to complete the deal according to reports, via Sports Illustrated – and should he have succeeded in persuading the German striker to make the move across the North West to Goodison Park, the Toffees would have reaped the rewards – evident by his recent form with current club Wolfsburg.

After signing a new deal in 2018 with City, the striker joined the Bundesliga outfit at the start of this season for £7.2m, and his performances have led to his valuation increasing to £16.2m according to Transfermarkt.

Described as a “baller” by German journalist Jasmina Schweimler, the 23-year-old has featured in 18 German top-flight games this season, starting 11 of them, and has netted six goals so far while operating more as a wide-man, earning his first four caps with his country.

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He has also netted two Champions League goals with Wolfsburg – proving that he can perform on the big stage, having already proved his ability at international level, having scored 12 goals for Germany’s U21s, also winning the U21 Top Scorer award at last summer’s UEFA European U21 Championship – helping his country to win the trophy.

Among attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions, Nmecha ranks in the top 5% for goals per 90 (0.51), top 4% for aerials won per 90 (2.21) and top 18% for pressures in the attacking third per 90 (7.01) – proving that he is becoming a more “complete” forward as he has been previously described