Despite already possessing the scintillating Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton’s policy this summer appears to be on strengthening their frontline.
The Toffees forward has 20 goals in all competitions but when did an extra dose of firepower ever hurt anyone?
We’ve seen some eye-catching rumours emerge already with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Andrea Belotti linked with Goodison.
Though, one of the most interesting links is to Leipzig attacker Hwang-hee Chan. He penned terms with the Bundesliga outfit last summer but after a campaign where he’s battled illness, it’s not gone according to plan.
As a result, Leipzig are willing to let him depart in a deal potentially worth £13.5m. That isn’t too much when you consider some of the fees Everton have parted ways with in the last few years.
Hwang would add wonderful depth to this Toffees side but what is his playstyle?
The South Korean is capable of playing out wide while he’s also adept through the middle as an out and out centre forward or as a shadow striker.
With that in mind, he could become Everton’s very own Roberto Firmino. He made a living out of playing as a false 9 for Hoffenheim and since moving to Liverpool, he’s truly made that position his own.
The Toffees won’t like to be reminded of Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs but Firmino played a major part in that success because of his positioning; a trait that’s not too dissimilar to the way Hwang plays.
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In an article on the official Bundesliga website, they hailed the South Korean’s exploits against the Reds when he played for Salzburg. The forward scored and assisted during a 4-3 defeat at Anfield as he was praised for his “dexterity and flexibility."
The article wrote: “In that sense, Hwang is not dissimilar to Liverpool's former Hoffenheim striker Firmino. Happy leading the line as part of either a duo or a front three, Leipzig's first summer signing likes to get on the ball and has a trick or two up his sleeve to shake off a defender.
“Comfortable with both feet, with the strength to hold off an opponent and the pace to exploit space, he could cause problems for many a Bundesliga defence – just like Brazil international Firmino did before him.”
The 25-year-old would clearly offer a lot to Everton’s forward line, providing not just goals but also creativity in abundance with his "brutal dynamism", an attribute Former Liefering and Salzburg head coach Peter Zeidler waxed lyrical about.
Last term Hwang created more goals (22) than he scored (16). Considering he was playing as a centre forward for the whole campaign, this provides the biggest indication yet of why he’s so like Firmino.
The Brazilian isn’t the most devastating finisher but his vision and chance creation is first-class. As Liverpool won the league last season, Firmino similarly produced more goals for his teammates than he scored.
It worked for Liverpool having a player like that, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t work with Everton.
After all, combine him with Calvert-Lewin in a two-prong attack and you could have a very menacing duo.