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News
Everton linked with Benfica striker Raul Jimenez – would he be a good addition?
Reports surfacing from Portugal over the past day believe that Everton are beginning to show firm interest in signing Benfica striker Raul Jimenez before the transfer window closes in eight days’ time.
claim that Ronald Koeman – who is actively seeking another goal-scorer to add to his ranks before September – has submitted a bit in the region of £27.5 million for the ex-Atletico Madrid man.
Yet they face stiff competition from French champions Monaco, who are also keeping tabs on his situation, whilst the report claims Benfica are not willing to budge from their £47 million valuation.
What would Jimenez bring to Merseyside?
It was always going to be a likely story that Romelu Lukaku’s exit left a gaping hole at the top of the Everton team, and boss Ronald Koeman looks set on having a plethora of options to use this season.
The arrivals of Wayne Rooney and Sandro Ramirez have bolstered attacking options already, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin also developing well, but there is still a need for another piece of the jigsaw.
Rooney won’t get 30-goals-a-season – despite getting off to a good start – whilst both Ramirez and Calvert-Lewin are quick strikers that play off the shoulder of the last defender; this is all well and good but, in Lukaku’s absence, they need a strong, powerful player that can create his own chances.
In Raul Jimenez they could find exactly that, with the 26-year-old’s 6ft 3in frame lending him extremely well both in the air and in getting himself into tough and physical battles with defenders.
He is a mobile forward that is comfortable operating across the front-line, confident enough in his ability to take players on and draw them into a challenge, and he can add a new dynamic in attack.
Despite being on the precipice of the Benfica first-team last season, he still managed seven goals in 18 appearances, showing he has a knack for finding the net. The fact that 62% of his shots found their way on target – 16 from his 26 attempts – shows that he would bring the end product to Everton.
With his role at Benfica firmly as a substitute – coming on late in their opening three games of the new Primeira Liga season – the lure of first-team football at Goodison Park may be hard to say no to.