In the latest instalment of our Flashback series, Football Transfer Tavern take a look back at a certain moment in a club’s history, to see what conclusions can be drawn or lessons learnt.
When Everton were linked with a move for Cenk Tosun (recently linked away by the Liverpool Echo) prior to his arrival, corners of the Goodison Park faithful were far from eager to see the Turkey international in Royal Blue and voiced their pessimism from the off.
The Wetzlar, Germany-born striker had scored 64 times in 142 games for Besiktas (TransferMarkt) following his move to the Vodafone Park in 2014, but scoring goals in the Super Lig at one of the top sides in the division is one thing, scoring goals in the Premier League is another.
Even Tosun hitting four in six Champions League games that season was not enough to offer hope to the Everton fanbase that Sam Allardyce would be signing a worthy upgrade in the winter market, when reports emerged suggesting the Eintracht Frankfurt product would be moving to England on a four-and-a-half-year contract once the January window opened.
Fans were concerned that the Toffees would be spending £25m on ‘just another Sandro Ramirez’, a player the Blues had acquired in the summer of 2017 and is still waiting on his first goal since November that year (TransferMarkt).
If it’s agreed why don’t they announce it like VVD
You have to be sceptical. – plus 8 goals in Turkey is no better than Sandros record for Malaga and definitely not the proven PL players we supposedly need
— steve Jones (@skjones505) December 28, 2017
Stab in the dark this one. Same as the rest.
— The Street End! Block GT7 Row R (@andyc192) December 27, 2017
If there fans are after selling him it tells you all you need to know, google translate some of the comments in Turkish they are more than happy to off load!
— COYB! (@1shotsi) December 28, 2017
Shopping in BM when it should be harrods, Cenk Tosun is a hit and miss player on his day, 3 goals in his last 10 games, he will be another Sandro, Turkish league is pants.
— COYB! (@1shotsi) December 28, 2017
No-one knows who he is. Suddenly all looking at stats from a completely different league
— The Street End! Block GT7 Row R (@andyc192) December 27, 2017
Like most Everton supporters never heard of him before last week.
— Tiny lloyd (@LloydTiny) December 27, 2017
But their concerns were not felt at Goodison Park, and Everton finalised Tosun’s transfer four days into the January 2018 window, with the Blues paying Besiktas £27m (BBC) after the Istanbul-based outfit held out for a higher sum.
Sadly for Everton, the Blues would have been well-served adhering to the concerns of their fans, as Tosun has been a disastrous addition and one that is now often overlooked by Marco Silva.
In 44 games across all competitions since his arrival at the club, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net just nine times, with his last two Premier League goals coming on May 12 at Tottenham Hotspur and October 21, 2018 at home to Crystal Palace.
Between those two dates, Silva trusted Tosun to play 476 minutes from a possible 1,620 in the top flight, with the former Besiktas star left on the bench 11 times and omitted from the matchday squad twice.
This season is yet to see a change of heart by Silva, with the Portuguese yet to hand Tosun an outing in the Premier League, while his only appearance of the campaign thus far lasted 16 minutes when he came off the bench at Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.
Even a brace during the recent international break for Turkey against Moldova in a European qualifier failed to see Silva trust Tosun with a spot on the bench at Bournemouth, where the Blues boss instead named Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the starting line-up, despite the Sheffield-born forward not scoring a goal since March.
Calvert-Lewin may have scored on the south coast, but his performance left fans underwhelmed, in a damning indictment of how poorly rated Tosun must be if he cannot earn minutes compared to the former England U21 international.
Calvert lewin having a nap at the back post, nice one la
— Ad George (@AdGeo1878) September 15, 2019
Calvert Lewin is bad, like really really bad!
— Scott (@sstods84) September 15, 2019
Bin dcl off
— Rob (@EFC_Rob) September 15, 2019
Coleman and DCL stinkers what’s new
— (@Rhys_EFC) September 15, 2019
DCL might have got us the goal but his play has still been completely anonymous and offers no creative outlet
Need more movement up top if Bournemouth are just playing on the counter— Geoff Dixon (@GeoffEfc1) September 15, 2019
Seriously as much as he brings to the team why is DCL getting a game against Bournemouth. We need goals and that’s one thing he doesn’t bring
— Pete Kulak (@PeterKulak) September 15, 2019
Everton fans, does Tosun deserve more minutes than Silva has offered? Let us know in the comments below…
