Marcel Brands should plot a move for Everton to sign VfB Stuttgart winger Silas Wamangituka to solve a key issue with Carlo Ancelotti’s side that Friday’s win over Arsenal exposed.
The Toffees were linked with the Bundesliga dynamo by Eurosport last month, who claimed that Wamangituka had caught the attention of a number of Premier League sides with his direct style of play, immense pace and finishing ability.
Wamangituka is Die Roten’s second-best scorer and playmaker with 11 goals and five assists in 25 German top-flight appearances this term, before requiring surgery for a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament rupture sustained against Bayern Munich on March 20.
The DR Congo native was seen to have been one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting talents before his injury, and is in line for a new contract at the Mercedes-Benz Arena that will increase the 21-year-old’s wage from €1m (£17k-p/w) to €1.5m (£25k-p/w) a season.
It remains to be seen what impact his likely lengthy spell on the sidelines has for the potential suitors assessing swoops for the £22.5m-rated forward, who is under contract at Stuttgart on his current terms through to the summer of 2024.
But the issue should not prevent Brands from plotting plans to sign Wamangituka amid Everton’s search for a new, young attacking option, as the 6 ft 2 maestro can solve a key issue in Ancelotti’s system that Friday night’s 1-0 win over Arsenal exposed.
Die Roten’s rumoured plans to present Wamangituka with a £25k-p/w contract would also be no issue for the Toffees’ to better, with Spotrac and Sportekz figures showing only Joao Virginia (£10k), Anthony Gordon (£10k), Jarrad Branthwaite (£15k) and Robin Olsen (£23k) as currently earning less.
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Everton fortuitously beat Arsenal on Friday through an own goal from Bernd Leno, when the German failed to keep out Richarlison’s pass across the six-yard box that posed no serious threat.
Richarlison had been involved in one of the Toffees’ better chances to score earlier in the game, when the Brazilian was freed to run at the Gunners backline by a powerful pass from Allan only for Leno to save the eventual effort.
Everton too often lacked the pace to get in behind the Arsenal defence beyond that and struggled to purposeful impose any pressure at the Emirates, by either getting to the ball too late or moving possession too slowly without a willing runner.
Wamangituka would be expected to offer that presence in Ancelotti’s attack if Brands can seal a deal, for an exciting forward Stuttgart boss Pellegrino Matarazzo claims has “no bounds” to his “huge” potential and teammate Orel Mangala can only praise.
“He is a calm guy but on the field, he is really wild. He is really good at dribbling and is really fast,” Mangala said, via quotes by Bundesliga.com.
Wamangituka has averaged 1.9 successful dribbles and won 5.5 ground duels per game in the Bundesliga this season, which would see the winger rank first in both accounts at Goodison Park with Richarlison (1.75) and Allan (5.4) Everton’s current respective leaders for their efforts in the Premier League, per SofaScore.
Obviously, Wamangituka’s injury will be a topic of concern for potential suitors, but his immense potential and stunning record in Germany should see that Brands explores a deal to solve a key issue of Ancelotti’s current squad.
AND in other news, Everton have been urged to sign a £30m star who “doesn’t have limits” despite Carlo Ancelotti’s concerns…