Southampton are keen on signing Everton reject Yannick Bolasie who seems to be out of favour under Toffees boss Marco Silva.
According to a report by The Sun, Everton loanee Yannick Bolasie has garnered interest from the likes of Southampton and Newcastle United. Crystal Palace also want to bring back their former player on a one-year loan but Everton are adamant on selling the DR Congo international for any price north of £7m.
Other clubs outside the Premier League like Turkish sides Besiktas and Galatasaray and Ligue 1 side Lille are also looking at the Everton forward.
The 29-year-old, soon to be 30, was loaned out to two different sides last season playing one half of the season each with Aston Villa in the EFL Championship and RSC Anderlecht in the Jupiler Pro League. He had 14 goal contributions in 36 appearances throughout the season netting the ball on six occasions across all competitions.
Should Ralph Hasenhuttl move in for the Everton forward?
Hasenhuttl usually sets his team up in a 4-4-2 formation and shares the same philosophy as the German Jurgen Klopp. The Austrian expects his side to play a high tempo game with his team instructed to press from the front.
Bolasie, meanwhile, is a versatile player who can play on either wing or in a centre-forward role if and when the situation arises. The 29-year-old is Premier League proven and was a nuisance for the defenders in his pre-injury days. But the big question which arises here, with age catching up, can he return to his former self in a system which will ask much more of him physically than ever before?
Bolasie is more at home when operating near the touchline and while his aerial prowess has also been on display before, his play in the central areas is far from impressive. Hasenhuttl’s system tends to make his wide players move inside for the fullbacks to charge into the wide channels which means Bolasie might have to take a more central role in the buildup which is not his strongest suit.
Author’s Take
So what exactly does the Everton forward bring to this Southampton side apart from his aerial ability and the prospect of an economic signing? This can be a hit or miss for the Saints and the chances of the latter happening are certainly higher. From Southampton’s perspective, there are no specific signs of the Congo international succeeding under the system deployed by Hasenhuttl.
Stats Courtesy: Transfermarkt, Whoscored