Everton may have already completed striker signing as news confirmed – pundit
Noel Whelan has suggested Everton boss Frank Lampard may have already “wrapped up” a striker signing pre-January after Salomon Rondon was released.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the Toffees “can’t afford” to let the 33-year-old depart without securing a replacement.
Everton confirmed on Friday (16 December) that Rondon had reached an agreement to terminate his contract with the club – which was due to run until the end of this season.
He had played just 194 minutes of football for the Merseysiders this season despite injury to talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Lampard’s side have scored the second-fewest amount of Premier League goals so far this season and sit just one point outside the relegation zone.
Everton have been linked with Coventry hitman Viktor Gyokeres and Senegal’s World Cup star Boulaye Dia ahead of the January window.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “They can’t afford to let Rondon go if Lampard doesn’t have something up his sleeve.
“You’d like to think they’ve got something wrapped up, because they’ve not got enough cover right now.
“Gordon can play there, but he’s a natural winger. Maupay has been doing a job – but is he a prolific goal scorer? Not really.
“I think they’ll have to go into the window, even if it’s just for a loan.
“They’ve got to bolster that strike force, especially because we know – unfortunately – that Calvert-Lewin is very susceptible to injury.”
In other news, Everton are in “real trouble” after Pickford transfer claim.