Everton must learn from the Merseyside club’s prior failings and trust in their emerging youth stars, having failed to offload Theo Walcott during the summer transfer window.
What’s the word?
According to The Times, via HITC, Everton chiefs have sought to secure the departure of Walcott this summer and are continuing to search out potential suitors approaching Monday’s Deadline Day.
No offers for the former Arsenal attacker are said to have fallen on the Blues’ desk as of yet, with Everton finding it challenging to part with a player Carlo Ancelotti has had no use for this term.
Walcott has found himself omitted from the Toffees’ last two Premier League matchday squads and failed to feature on any teamsheet in the Carabao Cup, with his only appearance of the campaign to date coming as an unused substitute in the 1-0 curtain-raiser win away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Ancelotti was far more forthcoming with minutes in the top-flight last season following the Italian’s arrival as the successor to Marco Silva, with the former SSC Napoli boss awarding Walcott 10 starts over 14 appearances when fit.
Everton will be hoping for progress on Walcott’s future in the coming days with his £100,000-per-week contract otherwise set to expire next summer, potentially offering the club the chance to draw a line under one of Steve Walsh’s larger failings as Director of Football having signed the 31-year-old for in excess of £20million.
Same closed avenue for Gordon?
Providing Everton are able to find a new home for Walcott before the market slams shut on Monday night, Ancelotti will be able to rest easy knowing he has options elsewhere in his squad to provide cover when needed.
Youth star Anthony Gordon, in particular, has shown he is ready to make the step-up from David Unsworth’s Under-23s and become a fully-fledged senior player should he be given the chance.
The 19-year-old already has three goals to his name for the campaign having struck home in the Blues’ Carabao Cup ties with Salford City and Fleetwood Town, but was harshly dropped from the squad that welcomed West Ham United to Goodison Park during the week and is yet to feature on a Premier League teamsheet.
Walcott and Gordon have both, therefore, struggled to establish themselves in Ancelotti’s league plans this season, but the Toffees product should not face the same closed avenue as the former England international as long as the club learn from their expensive past failings having now shown Walcott the door.
Ancelotti will be eager not to overload summer arrival James Rodriguez in order to ensure the Colombian can play as many of the 38 top-flight fixtures he can this season, and it should be Gordon whom the Italian looks to bring on from the bench if openings to start are not available.
Rodriguez has shown from his time in Madrid that injuries can sideline the 28-year-old for much of a season, so managing the midfielder’s minutes will be crucial to keeping him on the pitch.
Ancelotti will know what Gordon is capable of after a stellar display in the EFL Cup against Salford when he caused the League Two side a range of problems, bursting down the wings and cutting in to shoot – aspects that can, and will, take the Premier League by storm.
AND in other news, Everton are warming to the idea of sending a rarely-seen man away from Goodison Park…