Everton are in a sticky run of form in the Premier League and sit just one point above the relegation zone, although 18th-place Luton Town still have a game in hand.
Four straight defeats in all competitions, including three in the league, have shown head coach Sean Dyche that a lot of work still needs to be done if his side are to avoid the drop by the end of the campaign and the January transfer window offers the Toffees the chance to strengthen their squad to do just that.
Everton could sign £26m-rated Beto upgrade who "can do anything"
This £26m-rated upgrade could be just what Dyche needs to get Everton firing.
ByAdam Scully
However, given Everton's recent battle with FFP regulations, Dyche is set to dip into the free-agent market to add depth and quality to his ranks.
Everton transfer news – Jesse Lingard
It was reported on Tuesday afternoon by talkSPORT that Everton are considering offering Jesse Lingard a contract until the end of the season as the former Manchester United man is currently without a club and has been since his lucrative £115k-per-week deal with Nottingham Forest expired in June.
Now 31, the England international spent a month training with Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and even played in friendlies for the club, despite not being signed permanently.
It's been eighteen months since Lingard left his boyhood club Man United, where he was described as "top class" by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the Norwegian's reign. Coincidentally, the Red Devils set a price tag of £30m for the attacking midfielder during his final season at the club before Lingard subsequently left for nothing at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Now, having not played a competitive match since April 2023, Lingard could be offered a surprise return to action with Everton.
Jesse Lingard stats comparison vs Abdoulaye Doucoure
It is clear that Dyche is keen to bolster his attacking department to get the forward line clicking. This season, Everton have scored the sixth-fewest goals in the Premier League this term and the club's top goalscorer is midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure who has been asked to play in a more advanced position to alleviate Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goalscoring woes.
Doucoure has scored six goals in total for the Toffees across 20 appearances in all competitions. This is just one less than Everton's two strikers Calvert-Lewin and £26m summer signing Beto combined. Right now, the Merseyside outfit need a player who can get Calvert-Lewin firing while also easing the goalscoring burden off Doucoure. Lingard fits the bill nicely.
While his spell at the City Ground was disastrous, having failed to register a single goal contribution in 17 league appearances with the Tricky Trees, Lingard has still proven himself to be an attacking menace throughout his career. Since the 2009/10 season, the 5 foot 9 Englishman has scored 76 goals and recorded 57 assists in 379 club appearances which comes to 2.01 goal contributions per game. This is a better rate than any other creative player at Everton, apart from Arnaut Danjuma.
Player
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Goal Contributions Per Game
Jesse Lingard
379
76
57
2.85
Abdoulaye Doucoure
363
49
39
4.13
Jack Harrison
292
50
46
3.04
Dwight McNeil
134
7
17
5.59
Arnaut Danjuma
245
77
36
2.17
Stats via Transfermarkt
On average per 90 this season, Calvert-Lewin has boasted an xG of just 0.59. Meanwhile, Doucoure is averaging 0.43 xG per 90. These numbers are incredibly low which is one of the reasons why Everton are struggling for goals this term. Lingard's 57 career assists could help the duo to start finding the net more regularly which will benefit the team's results.
Furthermore, Lingard has played on the right wing 100 times in his time as a professional, meaning Dyche could play the Man United academy product in place of Jack Harrison who has merely three assists in 18 appearances this season, keeping Doucoure in his position behind the centre-forward.
In truth, the Everton boss would be a fool to turn this deal down.
