About a week ago I posted a bit of a review for potential centreback targets so I've gone and done it for "number 10's" I feel we could sign, some of them we've been linked with for ages whilst some of the other players I just feel we should be chasing, they're not in any specific order.
I originally posted it here:
http://goodisongossip.com/index.php?threads/summer-15-16-general-transfer-thread.55/#post-577 but I thought I might as well chuck it in here as well.
Personally I'd like to sign someone younger so they can grow and improve but at the same time we need someone who has at least a decent amount of experience under their belt and is ready to go so they can make an impact straight away. We need someone with an excellent passing range and has the ability to can slice the ball through deference's, create opportunities, feed big Rom and set up the rest of the team in goal scoring positions. I think it would also be a big plus if the player was able to play on a wings as well, especially the left wing as are current options are quite thin, it would stop Cleverly and Barkley from playing there and It would even allow our new signing to play next to Barkley when necessary.
Hakim Ziyech, 22yo - Estimated Value: £7m
A young and upcoming star of the Eredivisie who's building a very impressive assists and goals record. Hakim had 13 goals and 15 assists from 33 games last season. A very versatile player. Played a lot of his earlier football at Heerenveen as more of a central midfielder but due to all of his attacking traits and ability going forward he's become much more of an attacking midfielder. He can also play on either wing. Ziyech posses amazing vision and because he's so good on both feet he's really good at opening up and playing through players on either side of him. He does have some question marks over his attitude which would need to have a good eye cast on but he has really been knuckling down and even received public praise from manager, Schreuder.
Yoann Gourcuff, 29yo - Estimated Value: Free
Was once touted the next Zidane, he'd modeled his game on Pele as has quite often been ridiculed because he never became the player he should of but that doesn't make him a bad player, he's had a fantastic career in France, has a lot of experience and is in search of a new change so he's currently a free agent. Over the course of his five-year career in Lyon, he made 128 appearances, scoring 19 goals and assisting another 29. Yoann created 22 chances from just 17 league appearances last season with a very good average passing completion rate of 86%. Does have some real concerns of his body and battled with injuries quite a bit over the last few years, wouldn't be my first option but not the worst option, especially if we don't have much money.
Dries Mertens, 28yo - Estimated Value: £12m
Was reported early in the window that we're interested in Mertens but he apparently wasn't our "first target", as our list of targets is getting picked off from other clubs I do wonder if we will come back in with an increased interest. Mertens is a real honest, hard working player who really fits that traditional Everton style. A very good dribbler and has an ability to find and pick out teammates in really good forward positions. However since our reported interest a representative of Mertens suggested that he was unlikely to leave Italy this summer and with Napoli having no real reason to want to sell him you do have to question our chances of been able to get a deal done.
Alen Halilovic, 19yo - Estimated Value: £10m or Available on loan
One of the brightest prospects in Barcelona's highly touted academy. Became a regular for Dinamo Zagreb's first team at just 15 years of age and made his international debut for Croatia at 16 but has since moved to Barca and spent the last season playing for Barca B but as they were relegated it's reported he's become available for loan or even as a permanent transfer but with a buy back clause. Has an amazing first touch, technique and passing ability, having spent the last season learning Tiki Taka football and to play the Barca way (not saying we're Barcelona, just saying Roberto is trying to get us to play and use the ball a similar way.) so he would suit our tactics and style quite well. Halilovic has the ability to become one of the best players in our game but he's only just turned 19 and still has a lot of development to go. I can't help but think we need someone with more experience and further developed.
Dennis Praet, 21yo - Estimated Value: £12m
A player who's been talked up and highly rated for years, now has over 100 apps for Anderlecht in the Belguim Pro League and Is really starting to take that step in fulfillng his potential. Had 9 assists and 7 goals from 30 appearances in the Pro League last season as well as some impressive Champions League performances. Praet has the tools that are inherent of most “modern era” playmakers/Number 10s. He's displayed superb vision, good ball control, a confident dribbling ability and even a lot of maturity/leadership. With his eye for a pass, Praet has the ability to unlock opposition defences and create goal scoring opportunities for his team mates.
Keisuke Honda, 29yo - Estimated Value: £8m
Reported to be available for 8m after he's failed to really get going at Milan. Whilst that really does sound quite cheap he's now 29 years old and is still really yet to perform at a top European League. However you can't take anything away from him he's an excellent technician, has good vision, offers intelligent movement and is comfortable dictating play or to make the incisive pass, or finish. He's a huge figure in Japan and which I'm sure would interest Bill he has a really big commercial following.
Adnan Januzaj, 20yo - Estimated Value: Loan
I do understand that Januzaj isn't an overly popular player and in all honesty I don't really like him either but you can't let that get in the way of judging a player. As a player I do actually rate him, he's now got a good amount of experience at this level. We should be able to loan him so If money really is tight at least it makes him viable option. Is technically very gifted, has the confidence to run at defenders and to take that high risk/high reward pass. He had a really poor season last year and fell out of favor with Van Gal but we have seen his true potential and what he's capable of. We haven't been as strongly linked with him in recent weeks but if we genuinely are after him then I think we should be aiming for a permanent transfer over a loan.
Andriy Yarmolenko, 25yo - Estimated Value: £18m
Left-footed attacking midfielder who's dominated over in Ukraine for several years but is now starting to make some noises over wanting to take the next step in his football and move abroad. I'm sure we'll all remember how well he performed when Kiev booted us out of the Europa League. In reality he's more of a winger than a number 10 but if we're just after creativity then he's our man. Last season he was the Europa League's leading assist maker, had 14 assists as well as 14 goals in the league from just 26 games. Dynamo Kiev will not let him go on the cheap however, it would take a big fee to be able to acquire his services.
Shinji Kagawa, 26yo - Estimated Value: £15m
Another player who really struggled at Manchester United, probably wasn't ever given a fair go and was played out of position the majority of his time there. Went back to Dortmund and did alright getting 5 goals and 5 assists in what was a disappointing season for Dortmund. At his best when he has confidence and is played in the right position and role he's absolute class. Dortmund paid about 15m to get him back 12 months ago and they're not going to sell him for anything less than that, even then I can't see Kagawa wanting to come back to England. I'd love to sign him, he's just what we need but probably more dreaming than anything though.
Xherdan Shaqiri, 23yo - Estimated Value: £13m
Wasn't going to put him in here but I thought I haven't seen him holding up a Stoke top and i guess It's not done until it's done, stranger things have happened. Has all the potential to be an absolute class player, in fact he's already boss now. Has had a bit of fall from fame in recent years and no one knows why Inter already want to sell him after just six months, there is big question marks over his attitude. However one can doubt that we are genuinely interested in him, how much we were offering him and whether it was a loan or not who knows.
I'm curious to know who everyone would want us to sign, there's still plenty of other options who I haven't even mentioned, personally I like Praet.
