Everton Set To Rival Torino For This Serie A Forward: Should Dyche Get Him On Board? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Tuttosport claimed that Everton are set to rival Torino for Atalanta forward Duvan Zapata. It has been mentioned that the Toffees are in the running to acquire the services of the Colombian striker.

Zapata’s Difficult Campaign At The Gewiss Stadium

Zapata is having a tough season in Italian football as he has struggled to perform at a high level for Atalanta on the offensive end of the pitch. The 31-year-old has scored one goal and picked up four assists in 17 matches for the Italian club during this campaign in various competitions.

The veteran forward has failed to be consistent with his contributions in the final third based on his average of 1.4 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has also lacked quality when linking up with his teammates in the opposition half after completing only 70.6% of his attempted passes in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).

His current contract at the Italian club is set to expire in the summer of 2024. Hence, he will be a good option for Everton to consider on the cheap at the end of this campaign.

Goodison Park

Should Everton Head Coach Sean Dyche Get Zapata On Board?

Zapata can engineer space for himself to get some shot attempts in on-target. He can be a streaky scorer in the final third when he is playing well on the pitch. Standing at 1.89m, he can use his strong frame to win a few important 50-50 aerial duels for his team up top.

The Colombian sensation can also create the odd chance for a teammate in the opponent’s half and is a good dribbler with the ball as well. However, he has struggled to be productive for Atalanta this season but is a player on the decline.

Still, Zapata could be a good, short-term option for the Toffees to consider this summer. At 31, he might still have a couple of years left in his locker to play at a high level. However, there are some concerns over whether the South American centre-forward can cope with the high intensity of Premier League football.

We can expect Zapata to add some serious competition for Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park in the coming seasons. Thus, it makes sense for Everton head coach Sean Dyche to make an attempt to get the Colombian talent on board when the transfer window commences once again later this year.