Why Everton must keep hold of Cenk Tosun amidst interest
According to reports in the Liverpool Echo, Everton striker Cenk Tosun could be on his way back to Besiktas after arriving at the club in January. The Turkish club, who let the striker go away nine months ago, are interested in getting the player on loan when the transfer window reopens (Liverpool Echo h/t My Net).
Tosun signed for Everton in a £27m deal and contrary to what the expectations were, the 27-year-old hasn’t been able to produce the goods. He has only scored once in 471 minutes of football played this season. This is to add to what he did in the second part of last campaign, netting just five goals from 14 appearances totaling up to 991 minutes.
As a result of that, manager Marco Silva needs options in the squad to start in the central striker position, which is not a good omen for a high-priced striker in the team. However, before judging Tosun on small proportions, let us look at his strengths.
Tosun is a quality player
Tosun still has the qualities to lead the line for Everton in the long run. It is natural for players to take time and adjust to the intense nature of the Premier League. The Turkish international possesses the type of attributes which are good enough to prosper in the English top-flight.
At his best, the 27-year-old can be a devilish prospect for any defence and can score goals for fun. He can finish from inside the box, outside the box and from headers too, which makes him a dangerous player from crosses and set-pieces.
Given the way Marco Silva makes his team play, crosses into the box will be delivered in abundance. In Glyfi Sigurdsson, Everton have a perfect creative link between the midfield and the attack. The only thing they now need to do is keep Tosun and let the manager work with the player to bring him back to his best.
Verdict
The modern-day footballing world is quite hard to please. People judge a footballer’s performance on a short-term basis, rather than being patient. Hence, the players are always under pressure to deliver.
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Everton shouldn’t let go of a quality striker without giving him more chances on the field. Once he regains his form, Tosun would be a massive hit for the club.