Everton already have a player more creative than Onana and Iwobi, they should keep him

Andre Gomes has been in the wilderness at Everton, but Sean Dyche should give him another chance.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Andre Gomes is considered surplus to requirements at Everton, and they will be looking to move the midfielder on this summer. However, Sean Dyche would be wise to reconsider this stance.

Having fallen down the pecking order at Goodison Park in previous campaigns, Gomes spent last season on loan with Lille. The 29-cap former Portugal international rediscovered some of his best form for the French side, and played a crucial role for them across his 27 appearances.

Gomes has shown flashes of his quality on Merseyside before. However, fitness issues – compounded by a serious, long-term injury sustained against Spurs in 2019 – and the quick turnaround of managers at Everton meant he struggled to produce his best on a regular basis.

With the club now in financial difficulty and looking to become a more potent attacking force ahead of the new season, Dyche would do well to turn to Gomes once more.

Why Everton should keep Gomes around

For a start, keeping Gomes won’t cost the cash-strapped Everton anything, as he is already on their payroll. Furthermore, the stats suggest he would be their most influential midfielder in an attacking sense.

According to FBRef stats, recorded over the last year (the time Gomes has spent impressing in Ligue 1) the midfielder has averaged the following per game: 88.4% pass completion rate; 8.84 progressive passes; 1.14 progressive carries; 1.60 successful take-ons. These figures demonstrate Gomes’ excellence in transitioning the ball from the middle of the park into the attacking third, and show that he is a real creative force.

By contrast, in this regard, the numbers for Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye, Alex Iwobi and Amadou Onana don’t stack up so well. None of them have a pass completion rate as high as Gomes, nor do any of them make anywhere near as many progressive passes, or complete as many successful take-ons. Doucoure and Iwobi do manage more progressive carries, but there’s not much in it.

Bringing back Gomes could add a whole new creative dimension to Dyche’s midfield, without a penny needing to be spent.