Leon Osman, the former Everton midfielder, has emphasized the importance of his old club signing not just one, but two attackers during the summer transfer window, writes the LiverpoolEcho.
Throughout the season, Everton’s trio of attackers, consisting of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Neal Maupay, and Ellis Simms, managed a total of only four league goals. In the final game against Bournemouth, Demarai Gray was chosen to lead the line in the absence of the injured Calvert-Lewin.
Back in January, Everton manager Sean Dyche expressed the need for two attacking additions to strengthen the squad’s fight against relegation to the Sky Bet Championship. However, despite assurances from majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri that the club would secure a much-needed striker during the January transfer window, Everton failed to make any signings, making them the only top-flight club to do so.
This lack of reinforcements left Everton with a weaker squad than they had at the start of the window, despite the promises made. As a result, the club now faces another crucial summer transfer window, where they must address the issue of a bloated squad and assemble a group that is capable and suitable for the challenges ahead.
Osman strongly believes that both Sean Dyche and director of football Kevin Thelwell should prioritize the acquisition of at least two strikers to prevent Everton from finding themselves in a similar position as they have in the past two seasons.
“In my opinion, it has got to be number one and number two,” the former England international replied when asked about attacking reinforcements this summer.
“I think we need more than one coming in because we have seen how injuries can affect the team. I think Sean Dyche needs options at the top of the field, and he has traditionally known how to play with two at the top end of the field.
“So I think we need more than one. It is a position that needs more than just a goalscorer; as silly as that sounds, our number nine has to lead the line.
“They have to be able to take the team forward. They have to be able to hold the ball up, and they have to be able to bring other players into the game.
“That is the type of football we have always been used to, and it seems to be the style of football a Sean Dyche team will be used to and will need.
“We have got wide men that can really deliver good quality into the penalty area, but we just lacked a striker in there to be able to put the ball into the back of the goal.
“Midfielders got some goals from late runs, especially Abdoulaye Doucoure, who scored the most incredible and important goals in the back end of the season.
“He was a player who, according to rumours, could have been out of the club by the end of January had Sean Dyche not come in when he did.
“But we need a striker who is going to get into double figures of goals. We need more goals at the top end of the pitch.”