Marcel Brands looks unlikely to change Everton ’s transfer strategy and buy a “huge striker” this summer thanks to the scoring exploits of two young forwards.
The Blues’ front line options look like they need a shake-up but Brands insists he will not make signings that will delay the development of the club’s existing talent.
Instead, Everton are likely to try and recruit another young, versatile forward in the Richarlison-mould, who can play in a number of positions while Cenk Tosun and Oumar Niasse are likely to be sold.
Brands has name-checked Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ademola Lookman as Blues players with “great potential” and says they key to his long-term Goodison thinking report the Liverpool Echo .
Everton were beaten by Newcastle United on Saturday, but goals from Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin had given the Blues a commanding half-time lead that should have led to a victory.
The Blues and Brands, who was in the stands at St James’ Park, remain intent on finding the best way to unlock the potential of Lookman who made a late cameo against Newcastle and has endured another frustrating season.
Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, however, are first-team regulars and now rank first and equal third in the list of Premier League scorers this season, aged 22 or under.
Calvert-Lewin will turn that age later this week, Richarlison doesn’t join him until the final week of the season but Lookman only had his 21 birthday in October.
“I think we have a good squad and I am aware that the fans are asking if we can find a new striker who can score 20 goals,” Brands said earlier in the season.
“I think we are a very, very lucky club in England that we have three players with great potential who are just 21-years-old,” he said. “We have Dominic (Calvert-Lewin), we have Richarlison and we have Ademola (Lookman).
“And if I bring in a new player, a huge striker or a name, should I destroy one of them? It is also my goal to protect those boys. Everyone agrees with me that they have great potential and a great future.”
The top 10 scorers in the Premier League aged 22 or under at the end of week 30
Richarlison (21) 11 goals
Marcus Rashford (21) 9 goals
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (21) 6 goals
David Brooks (21) 6 goals
Gabriel Jesus (21) 6 goals
Diogo Jota (22) 6 goals
Delle Ali (22) 5 goals
James Maddison (22) 5 goals
Demarai Gray (22) 4 goals
Ruben Neves (21) 3 goals
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Lookman has yet to score in the league this season but has only started a fraction of the games Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin have.
