Everton fans in the Transfer Tavern have had little to cheer about in recent times, although they do have the Europa League to look forward to this evening.
Ronald Koeman’s men won their opening Premier League game of the season but have since then drawn one and lost the other two, the latest a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham which left several Toffees fans drowning their sorrows in the Tavern this week.
And some recent quotes from Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, a summer target for the Merseyside club, via The Liverpool Echo is unlikely to improve their mood either.
And that’s because the France international has admitted that he almost left the Emirates Stadium over the summer before deciding against the move, thus remaining at a club he moved to back in 2012, and for whom he has since scored 99 goals in 232 matches.
Indeed, a £25m deal was reportedly agreed, though a move never came to fruition.
However, the 30-year-old was used sparingly by manager Arsene Wenger last season such was the excellent form of Alexis Sanchez, and although Giroud still earned 29 Premier League appearances, only 11 were starts.
And that led to speculation arising about his future over the summer, with Everton reportedly interested, and manager Koeman spoke last week that he thought a deal had been done for their ‘option one’, believed to be Giroud, only for no deal to materialise.
“I thought the story was not over at Arsenal. The club has given me a lot, I want to win some more trophies”, said the Frenchman.
“As I said to the boss, our story is not finished, and everyone was pleased with that.”
And with the Toffees having only scored twice in the league so far this season, this recent news is unlikely to delight those Evertonians lining up at the bar in the Tavern ahead of this evening’s Europa League clash with Atalanta.
Landlord’s verdict: Everton sold star striker Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United over the summer, which saw 87 goals and 29 assists leave Goodison Park.
And for all the money the Toffees spent during the transfer window, they failed to adequately replace the Belgian, and it turns out that they were indeed close to securing a deal for Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud, who would have certainly bolstered the ranks alongside Sandro Ramirez and Wayne Rooney.
Yet the Frenchman decided to remain at the Emirates Stadium, which is without doubt a big blow to Toffees boss Ronald Koeman, whose side’s meagre tally of two goals in four Premier League games underlines the overwhelming issue he has at Goodison Park between now and January.
Everton fans… what do you make of the news? Let us know!
