He’s like Ndiaye & Cole Palmer: Everton have strong interest in £30m star…
David Moyes’ return to the Everton dugout provided the most swooshing of lifts back in January, and there’s still plenty to love, but recent results have surely shown the manager that he needs more quality in attacking areas.
The lack of true prolificness across his frontal areas has been among the cruxes of Everton’s issues in recent years, but Beto’s resurgence and Iliman Ndiaye’s brilliant efforts since joining from Marseille in a £15m deal last year have provided a new framework.
Ndiaye-Everton
Everton need a striker, and Liam Delap appears to be the top target. Ipswich Town’s number nine has been in fine fettle throughout the term and has an active £30m release clause following the Tractor Boys’ relegation from the Premier League.
However, he’s not the only Ipswich up-and-comer who’s on Moyes’ radar.
Everton chasing rising star
According to Caught Offside, Everton are showing ‘strong interest’ in Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson, though they are expected to face stiff competition from newly-promoted Burnley and Leeds United.
Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson reacts
Hutchinson, 21, has been a shining light for Kieran McKenna’s side, bringing pace and potency to the attacking ranks.
Valued at €35m (about £30m), he wouldn’t come cheap but would definitely be the kind of signing Moyes wants to make real headway.
What Omari Hutchinson would bring to Everton
Hutchinson left Chelsea and joined Ipswich Town in a £20m deal last summer after exceptional performances in the Championship on loan.
Omari-Hutchinson-Leif-Davis-Sarmiento-Ipswich
Five goal involvements across 28 matches in the Premier League have made the prospect aware of the top-flight’s harsh realities, but he’s still managed to showcase his skills.
In fact, his crisp ball-playing skills and willingness to drive attacking play forward have even led data-driven site FBref to list Ndiaye as one of his most comparable players, bearing the raw quality to become a major player at a team like Everton.
But given that The Football Terrace’s Dean Jones has made the bold claim that he’s “similar to Cole Palmer,” The Friedkin Group have surely got to be sold on making their move in the coming months.
Omari Hutchinson in the Premier League (24/25)
Stats (* per game)
Matches (starts)
28 (27)
Goals
3
Assists
2
Shots (on target)*
1.3 (0.6)
Big chances missed
1
Pass completion
84%
Big chances created
5
Key passes*
0.9
Dribbles*
1.6
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
Duels won*
4.3
Stats via Sofascore.
As you can see above, Hutchinson hasn’t enjoyed the most productive of seasons in Suffolk, but there’s still something to like from his efforts, active, energetic and impressive with the manner of his strikes.
He’s missed just the one big chance in the Premier League this season. Sure, three goals is a rather modest return, but Ipswich have struggled to apply their attacking system effectively and Hutchinson could rise to the next level in a more structured and fluent Everton team.
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Palmer, obviously, is operating at a much higher level, but the similarities are there. The Three Lions superstar, who Gary Neville called “a different level” after his performance against Liverpool at the weekend, has scored 39 goals and laid on 25 assists for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City in a £42.5m package in August 2023.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer reacts
Potency aside, Palmer’s underlying metrics bespeak an energy and combativeness that helps him make the flashier contributions with consistency, averaging 1.6 dribbles and winning four duels per Premier League game this term (Sofascore).
The 22-year-old’s gifted ability on the ball is certainly something that Hutchinson has demonstrated too in England’s top flight, albeit to a lesser degree.
The fleet-footed talent once of a Chelsea persuasion after graduating from Cobham has been noted for his “seriously entertaining” style by analyst Ben Mattinson and could provide the excitement that Everton crave to go from one level to another under Moyes’ wing.
Barkley-Everton-Moyes
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