OPINION
Everton’s season has been such a disappointment that they risk alienating or losing some of their top players in the summer if they don’t improve fast.
Chief amongst those who could be tempted to seek the Goodison Park exit door is young winger Ademola Lookman. The 21-year-old enjoyed a tremendous loan spell with RB Leipzig last season, and it’s no secret that the German club wanted to sign him permanently last summer.
Now, though, it appears that a rather more formidable European giant has entered the fray for Lookman. Italian outlet Calcio Mercato reported this week that AC Milan are interested in making a move for the former Charlton Athletic man.
That will be very worrying for Toffees fans. Lookman has already shown an aptitude for moving abroad and so a team like Milan would obviously be attractive to him.
We’ve seen English players go to foreign fields for first team football of late and Lookman might well want to do that. He has been involved far more than at any other point in his Everton tenure this term, but he’s still not what could be called a first team regular.
Plus, given how badly the team has struggled under Marco Silva, Lookman might start to think that Merseyside isn’t the best place for his career. The team has taken a backwards step this campaign and if Silva can’t right the ship then Milan may start to look more and more attractive for the youngster.
Even if Everton were battling for a top six spot Milan would still be tempting for any player. They are one of the greatest teams in footballing history, play in front of a massive crowd and are managed by an icon in Gennaro Gattuso.
So if the Toffees don’t buck up their ideas soon Lookman could well be on his way out. They need to feature him more regularly and start wining more games – luckily for them the two things likely go hand in hand.
If they don’t then the Everton faithful could soon be saying ciao to their young starlet.