Everton continue to be linked with a move for a new winger, with one in particular receiving a seal of approval...
What’s the latest?
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O'Rourke issued his verdict on the rumours suggesting that the Toffees could move to sign Dango Ouattara.
The Lorient speedster, who has reportedly been subject to an £18m bid from Leicester City already, appears to be sought after by Premier League clubs.
O'Rourke explained why, stating: "Ouattara is a talented player who has done really well in Ligue 1 this season with Lorient. I think he's got five goals and five assists [at the time of interviewing] for the French club so far this season; he's an attacking winger who can beat a player, can also score goals and provide goals."
With goals at a premium at Goodison Park - Everton's tally of 14 is the third worst in the Premier League - this could be exactly what is needed to reignite what has been a miserable season so far for Frank Lampard's team.
Richarlison replacement
Currently sitting in the relegation zone, it is clear that something needs to change dramatically to avoid another nervy finish to the season like in 2021/22.
Even with a character like Richarlison, who scored ten goals (when his closest competitor within the squad only managed half as many) in that campaign, Lampard's side avoided the drop by just four points.
Having sold the Brazilian talisman in the summer, there is nobody who is likely to pull them out of the hole into which they keep falling deeper.
Their joint-top scorers this season only boast three goals apiece in the league, and with Dominic Calvert-Lewin still an unreliable asset due to his appalling injury record, things look bleak for Everton. That makes the prospective Ouattara deal all the more imperative, given how prolific he has been this season.
Having operated from the right flank, the trickster enjoys cutting in onto his left foot to score or set up goals. As such, he has scored six goals and set up another six in the current campaign and is part of an "elite" group of top goal contributors across Europe's major leagues referenced by OptaJean.
With Everton desperately craving goals from the wide areas, the Burkina Faso international has all the hallmarks of a true replacement for Richarlison. With a penchant for scoring and creating goals, and the ability to embarrass defenders, the 20-year-old starlet could be the catalyst to get the dissenting Goodison Park faithful back onside.
They could well feed off a wildcard winger like Ouattara in the same way that they did with Richarlison, who the Toffees have sorely missed since his departure for north London.