Everton spent buckets this summer. With so many players leaving, manager David Moyes knew he needed to do something right, not only bring in players to add depth and consistency, but also offer a new kind of football to the Blues’ fan base.
And the Scot seems to be right, with Everton having been competitive throughout the opening weeks of the Premier League campaign, enjoying the flair and creativity of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye in the wide.
But at the heart of the club’s continued struggle for true fluency in the final third is the wastefulness and lack of authority in the final third, which strikers are flattered to deceive.
Why Everton’s strikers are struggling
This summer, Everton waved goodbye to long-time frontman Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He left the club at the end of his contract and subsequently signed with Leeds United. It was the right decision to let him go.
The striker will be replaced by Tierno Barry, who joined from Villarreal for £27 million. Powerful and progressive, the 23-year-old lacks rawness and bite. According to Sofascore, he has played eight times in the Premier League, started twice and missed two big chances. he hasn’t scored.
This will give you a little bit of understanding. After all, he is a stranger in a strange land and must adapt to the pace and climate of the department.
However, I am more concerned about Beto’s unconvincing performance. The Bissau Guinean has been in good form since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January.
There have been no goals since then and he has struggled as a No. 9, scoring one of his four big chances in the top flight this season, but has struggled at all to create any strong play near goal.
With the vault looking increasingly likely to open in 2026, the Friedkin Group could actually save millions through the promotion of an Academy star who garnered attention while on loan.
Academy star who could replace Beto
If Beto fails to regain his form in front of goal, Moyes will certainly turn to the transfer market. However, Martin Sherif is currently in form after a successful start to his loan spell at Rotherham.
Liberian-born Sherif is a Dutch youth player who trained at Almere City’s academy before moving to Everton in 2019.
The teenager has scored two goals in just three starts, averaging 4.8 duels and 1.5 tackles per game. This speaks to his tenacity in the game and could be perfect in Moyes’ system.
Everton need only look back at Anthony Gordon’s foundational period when he was loaned to Preston North End in the Championship to be reminded of the value of developing a talent like Sheriff.
Martin Sherif – Career stats so far | ||
|---|---|---|
club/level | app | Goal (assist) |
Everton U18 | 53 | 24(8) |
Everton U21 | 26 | 10(1) |
Rotherham | 6 | 2(1) |
Dates via Transfermarkt | ||
But Sherif is more than just what his direct involvement tells us. After all, producer Chris Fountain has marveled at Rotherham’s “absolute menace” this season, clearly boasting brawn and bite to see him take the baton from Beto.
Moyes will not want to see the fast-rising Sherif sold in a similar fashion to Gordon, who moved to Newcastle United for £45m in January 2023, but it is inevitable that there will be interest in the young goalscorer, especially if he can overcome his current injury setback and have a prolific season in League One.
It’s important to remember to be cautious when profiling up-and-coming talent. Everton have cherished many alumni over the years, but there have also been many false dawns.
But Sherif has the physicality and sharpness in front of goal to test the waters on the banks of the Hill-Dickinson River over the next few years, and with Barry young and expected to develop, this could spell the end for Beto’s Everton career.