Everton could be smart to consider signing Mykhaylo Mudryk as a replacement for Anthony Gordon if he leaves Goodison Park, Kevin Campbell has told Goodison News.
The lowdown
New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is a big fan of Gordon and tried to convince then-Blues manager Thomas Tuchel to get behind the prospective signing in the summer. The west London club reportedly made a bid of £60m for the young English attacker, such was their desperation to land him.
Simon Phillips recently told GiveMeSport that he 'fully' expects another push from Chelsea in January or next summer, with the player's 'head turned'.
Meanwhile, Kevin Thelwell and co saw a bid rejected for Shakhtar winger Mudryk during the summer transfer window, and 90min's Graeme Bailey claims that the Toffees scouted the 21-year-old in last month's Hampden Park clash between Ukraine and Scotland.
The latest
Campbell, who played for Everton between 1999 and 2005, reckons that Mudryk is 'further along the line development-wise' than the current Toffees winger. The 52-year-old added that, from that point of view, there might actually be a case for recruiting the Ukrainian as Gordon's successor if necessary.
Campbell told Goodison News: “That wouldn’t be the worst move ever would it? A full international player who’s been doing it in the Champions League, who needs a stage.
“He needs a stage, and probably you could say in his development he’s ahead of Gordon as a young player. Because he’s been playing top level Champions League football, he’s a full international for Ukraine etc.
“So you can say that he’s one who is further along the line development-wise, and getting the right type of player in is very important for Everton.”
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The verdict
Campbell does have a point. Mudryk, dubbed 'different class' by journalist Andrew Dickson, has now played eight matches in the Champions League, scoring twice and providing two assists, while Gordon hasn't been tested at continental level just yet, save for a fleeting two-minute Europa League cameo in 2017.
While the Ukrainian has also won eight senior caps for his country, his counterpart at Everton has yet to break into the Three Lions squad, having represented the under-21s in the most recent international break.
If Chelsea sign Gordon, they would perhaps regard him as a player for the future, rather than placing too much emphasis on his immediate contribution.
On the other hand, Everton may view Mudryk as someone who can put up competitive numbers straight away, so Campbell's standpoint is quite justified.