The central midfielder position has become a tricky one to fill for Everton Football Club players, especially after Romelu Lukaku’s impact on Merseyside.
The Belgian joined the Toffees on loan in 2013, before impressing during a short spell, scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances – which led to his permanent switch.
He cost £28m in the summer of 2014, and scored 71 times in 133 games for the club, an average of one goal every 1.8 outings.
It is true that no player has been able to emulate this success for the Toffees since his departure, with two players struggling to replace the Belgian.
Why Everton need a new centre-forward this summer
For large parts of the 2025/26 campaign, manager David Moyes often relied on Beto to lead the line in the club’s first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The player from Guinea-Bissau managed to hit the net nine times, but his hidden stats highlight his struggles in the Premier League.
Despite operating as a target man on Merseyside, the 28-year-old completed 62% of the passes he attempted – putting him in the top 10% of all players in the division.
He also averaged less than a goal per game in England’s top flight, while 60% of other centre-forwards managed to better Beto’s stats in the final third.
|
Everton’s top goals in the PL (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
The player |
Mathematics |
|
Beto |
9 |
|
Thierno Barry |
8 |
|
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall |
8 |
|
Iliman Ndiaye |
6 |
|
Michael Keane |
3 |
|
Idrissa Gueye |
2 |
|
Jack Grealish |
2 |
|
James Garner |
2 |
Thierno Barry once again staked his claim to be Moyes’ number nine, scoring eight times, but like Beto, he struggled with his play around attacking areas.
He managed to complete 30% of the dribbles he attempted in England’s top flight, a figure that puts him below 82% of other strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.
His passing accuracy was also lower than Beto’s – after that he completed only 60% of his attempts – highlighting the need for officials to find an all-rounder option this summer.
How Everton can improve their attack with £30m
Everton’s transfer business has started slowly this summer, with only Hayden Hackney arriving as a new addition since the opening of the market at the beginning of June.
Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl both made their short-term moves permanent, but fans undoubtedly want more from management this window.
Their demands could be answered this summer, with the board stepping up their efforts to land Bodo/Glimt striker Jens Petter Hauge ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
TEAMtalk have reported that the Toffees are beginning to renew their interest in the Norway international after his Champions League efforts last season.
His current side are said to be reluctant to offload the 26-year-old this summer, but could consider offloading him if a £30m offer arrives for his signature.
Leeds United and Sunderland are said to be circling for his help, and Moyes’ men need to step up their efforts in the coming weeks.
His statistics from his latest campaign in Europe highlight his quality in attacking areas and show why he cannot end the management’s hunt for a new talisman.
Hauge has netted six goals in his 12 appearances – including against Manchester City – showing his ability to excel against some of England’s top clubs.
His biggest advantage compared to Beto and Barry is his talent with the ball at his feet – as the latter completed 84% of the passes he attempted and registered 2.6 successful dribbles per 90.
Both of the aforementioned stats rank him in the top 15% of the best strikers in the Champions League – leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to call him “amazing.”
The Norwegian managed to register an impressive figure of 2.5 chances created per 90 – showing the all-round nature Moyes was looking for in attacking areas.
£30m may seem like a risk for a player who has never worked in the Premier League before, but Hauge has shown he can deliver with some of Europe’s top players.
At 26 years of age, he will be entering the prime of his career and has all the tools needed to become the club’s number nine – hoping to emulate Lukaku’s success on Merseyside.
