Everton are keen on signing former West Ham and Stoke City striker Marko Arnautovic before the transfer deadline, according to reports.
The Toffees – who sacked Frank Lampard this week – are desperate to sign a new striker with the Merseysiders the second lowest scorers in the Premier League this season with just 15 goals in 20 matches.
Winger Demarai Gray is their top scorer on five goals for the season with their main striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin only scoring one goal in ten Premier League appearances.
The second name on their top goalscorer list, Anthony Gordon, is holding ‘showdown talks’ with Everton today as a move to Newcastle United looks more likely before the end of the transfer window.
And now the Daily Telegraph insists that Everton are ‘looking at’ Arnautovic as a potential solution to their goalscoring woes with the Austria international one ‘possible emergency January signing’.
The 33-year-old has bagged eight goals in 14 appearances for Bologna this season after an impressive showing last term when he scored 14 goals in 33 matches.
The report adds: ‘The Gordon sale would presumably finance a deal for Arnautovic who – in terms of his contract – would be looking at two years as well as this season.’
Man Utd made a bid for Arnautovic in the summer transfer window before a backlash from supporters ended their interest.
The Athletic explained in September that Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag ‘identified a streak in the striker he wished to add to his dressing room’ with ‘nasty bastard’ used to describe him.
Jamie Carragher thinks the “mess” at Everton – who are currently in the Premier League relegation zone – has to be blamed on those “at the top” of the club.
“Nobody knows a football club better than their own supporters,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“There were no banners against Frank Lampard, they were against Farhad Moshiri and the board. I have said Everton are the worst-run club in the country. That wasn’t a flippant remark as an ex-Liverpool player, I’m saying it as an ex-Everton fan. When I made that comment, Everton got in touch with me and I admired it, being on the front foot to defend your club. But I didn’t think I was wrong then and I’m not wrong now.
“Moshiri doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he’s got a lot of money.
“The same sorts of players are getting brought in, managers are getting changed left, right and centre. Why does every Everton manager fail? Lampard, Champions League winning managers like Benitez and Ancelotti, Silva, Koeman has been around the world. So when a club fails, you have to look at the top. It’s a mess.
“The big problem is also the divide between Moshiri, Bill Kenwright and Denise Barrett-Baxendale – everyone in the city knows it. What is the role of Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale at the football club? It’s not financial.
“The owner is not listening to them. He does his own thing. If they are there for expertise they are not getting listened to. So what is the point of them being there?”
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