Everton are the in-form team in the Premier League right now and their ability to keep goals out has been instrumental to this. Sean Dyche’s side currently boast the third-fewest goals conceded in the top-flight right now.
However, the Toffees’ excellent defensive record has masked the side’s struggles to put the ball away at the opposite end of the pitch. In this regard, the Merseyside club hold the ninth-worst goal return in the division.
Nevertheless, Dyche is reportedly looking to rectify this weak spot in the team by bringing in a new centre-forward in January.
Everton transfer news – Boulaye Dia
According to a report from Il Mattino, via Sport Witness, Everton are keen to bring Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia to the club when the winter window opens in a few weeks and are one of several sides in Europe that will battle it out for the forward’s signature.
The Toffees had been linked with a move for the Senegal international back in the summer too, but a deal never came to fruition and Everton eventually completed the £26m signing of Beto from Salernitana’s Serie A rivals Udinese instead.
Having spent all of last season on loan from Spanish outfit Villarreal, the Italian secured a permanent move to i Granata during the recent transfer window and still has a contract with the Italian minnows until 2026. During his stint with the Yellow Submarine, Dia earned huge praise from journalist Jonas Adnan Giæver, who described the frontman as an “absolute monster”.
Furthermore, as per the CIES Football Observatory, Dia has a market value of £17m, meaning Everton could sign the Senegalese attacker for a relatively modest price.
Boulaye Dia’s stats this season
On loan at Salernitana last season, Dia managed to bag 16 goals in 33 appearances, which is just under a goal a game and was the third-highest scorer in Serie A. Only Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez converted more opportunities than the African centre-forward.
In contrast, Everton’s star number nine, Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored just twice throughout the 2022/23 campaign, having spent the vast majority of the season sidelined with various injury issues.
Nevertheless, with both strikers fully fit this time around, both Dia and Calvert-Lewin are locked on four goals apiece. However, Dia has been outperforming Calvert-Lewin and Beto in the current season.
Goals
0.4
0.3
0.18
Expected Goals
0.34
0.61
0.46
Assists
0
0
0
Expected Assists
0.05
0.04
0.02
Shots
2.4
2.83
3.82
Shots On Target
0.7
1.31
0.73
Shots Per Goal
0.13
0.11
0.05
Stats via FBref
Over the course of his career, Dia has found the net 72 times in 196 appearances which is an excellent return for a centre-forward, especially considering 43 of these goals have come since the beginning of the 2020/21 season. Additionally, DCL has bagged 76 goals in his career as well but in 75 more matches.
Beto is younger than both Dia and Calvert-Lewin, but the latter have considerably better goal records as the Portuguese summer signing has scored 50 times in his last 151 games. On top of this, Beto has scored just twice since moving to Goodison Park, including one in the Premier League.
Incidentally, Abdoulaye Doucoure is Everton’s top goalscorer in the 2023/24 season but Dyche could ease the burden off the Malian by belatedly bringing Dia to the club.