Everton have successfully signed Yannick Bolasie for £25m in a deal that marks the club’s fourth foray into the transfer market following the recent arrivals of Idrissa Gueye, Maarten Stekelenburg and Ashley Williams.
The Toffees evidently signed Bolasie in a bid to inject some much needed pace and drive into the team. Bolasie is a proven Premier League player who can play on either flank and also behind the striker.
Following the arrival of Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park, Everton seem to be heading in a new direction, and the Dutch Tactician will be hoping that he can replicate or even better what he achieved with the Saints.
With all that said, let’s take a look at what Yannick Bolasie can bring to Everton;
What Bolasie Has To Offer
Having signed Bolasie for a hefty sum, Everton supporters will certainly be expecting him to contribute a great deal for the team on the pitch.
The 27-year-old managed just 13 goals in 143 appearances for Palace. So contrary to fans’ expectations, he can’t really guarantee Everton a lot of goals. Bolasie is a type of winger who scores a few here and there but is more focused on taking players on and creating goal-scoring opportunities as he created 7 clear-cut chances for Crystal Palace last term besides laying on 138 assists in 26 League outings.
An impressive partnership that DR Congo international had with Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace may bode well for him at the new club. He appeared to combine well with the English winger due to their similar style of play, and Everton’s new man may find that he can achieve something similar with Gerard Deulofeu who is likely to play on the opposing flank at Goodison Park.
Bolasie is also an excellent dribbler with an amazing ability to take on defenders with relative ease, and his blistering pace makes him difficult to man-mark.
How Bolasie Will Fit Into The Team
Ronald Koeman will probably opt to play him on the left wing, while Ross Barkley retains his number 10 role behind Lukaku and Deulofeu features on the right wing in a 4-2-3-1 system which is based on direct counter attacking play.
Yannick’s primary role in the team will be to create chances for his teammates while looking to add to his goal tally on some occasions.
Verdict
The 27-year-old’s work rate is phenomenal; he runs up and down the pitch for 90 minutes while showing little signs of fatigue. Judging by his immense qualities, he’s evidently a great acquisition for Ronald Koeman’s side; the signing that could potentially launch the club into the Europa League.
Yannick’s experience with Crystal Palace will prove to be a decisive factor regarding how he settles in at Everton, and there’s reason to believe he’ll become a real fan favourite in no time.
