OPINION
It has been clear this season that Theo Walcott has struggled for form at Everton, but that doesn’t mean that the club should rush into signing a replacement for him.
Indeed, the club’s reported pursuit of winger Andrija Zivkovic is baffling in the extreme. Dominic King of the Daily Mirror reported on his personal Twitter account that the Toffees are tracking the Benfica man with a view to a potential move for the player.
Everton are interested in Benfica’s Andrija Zivkovic. He’s a Serbia international and plays as a No 10 or on the wing. Marco Silva has been charting his progress, as have other PL clubs. Zivkovic would cost £20m+ ?
— Dominic King (@DominicKing_DM) November 17, 2018
However, this seems very much like a misguided move from Marco Silva. Zivkovic has done nothing so far this season to indicate that he is worth the £20million price tag that King is quoting.
He’s played ten times for the Portuguese giants but is yet to score a goal this campaign. In those ten matches he’s played just 275 minutes of action, including only 77 in the Portuguese top flight.
He’s by no means a first team regular for Benfica but yet Silva is seemingly ready to splash the cash on him, it simply seems bizarre.
Walcott has struggled this term, that’s for sure, but he is undoubtedly a superior player compared to Zivkovic. It’s good that the Toffees boss isn’t satisfied with the progress his team have made so far this season and is looking to upgrade his side even further, but Zivkovic is not the man for Everton.
Surely Silva should be considering using Ademola Lookman more rather than bringing in an unproven Serbian international.
The youngster impressed on loan at RB Leipzig last campaign but is yet to really get an opportunity for Everton this term. With Walcott performing below his usual level he definitely deserves a look-in.
A move for Zivkovic would surely spell the end for Lookman’s time at the club, with his first team prospects severely reduced by another winger arriving at Goodison Park.
For all these reasons it seems clear that Everton should look elsewhere for January reinforcements, Zivkovic simply isn’t the man.