The January transfer window was an extremely unsuccessful one for Everton but missing out on Ismaila Sarr was arguably Farhad Moshiri’s biggest mistake.
New manager Sean Dyche was simply not backed with new signings after his arrival and the former Burnley boss now faces a huge task to keep the Toffees in the Premier League this season.
Following the £45m exit of Anthony Gordon, it was widely expected that the Merseyside outfit would bring in a replacement winger, especially following the failed move for Arnaut Danjuma earlier in the window.
Rennes wide man Kamaldeen Sulemena was regularly touted as a potential option for Everton but he would favour a move to relegation rivals Southampton over a Goodison Park switch, which certainly doesn’t bode well for the Toffees’ hopes in the second half of the season.
This saw Moshiri switch his attention to Watford winger Ismaila Sarr but such is the lack of funds available at Goodison Park, he could only muster a £2m loan fee offer for the Senegal international.
Sulemana could have been a great option for the future but he had managed just one goal in 14 Ligue 1 appearances this season, whereas Sarr has a history in the Premier League and has caught the eye in the Championship so far this campaign.
The 24-year-old has contributed seven goals and five assists in the second tier, averaging a strong 6.94 rating from WhoScored for his performances for the Hornets.
He has also averaged more shots (2.2 vs one), key passes (one vs 0.4) and dribbles (1.4 vs 1.1) per game than Sulemana this season, which suggests that he would have been the better option for Dyche and Everton fans should be more disappointed about missing out on him.
Ben Foster was full of praise for the Watford wide man during their time playing together at Vicarage Road, waxing lyrical. “He is a bit of a freak, honestly he is,” the former goalkeeper said:
“I still don’t think people understand quite how quick Ismaila Sarr is. His acceleration off from a standing start is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And genuinely, I’m being genuine there, I’ve never seen anybody accelerate from a standing start as quick as what he does.”
Sarr’s experience in the Premier League and impressive form this season suggest that he could have been an excellent first addition to the Dyche era and fans will no doubt be frustrated that a deal couldn’t be completed.
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