Nikola Vlasic struggled during his brief spell with the club, but has got his career back on track with CSKA Moscow.
The 21-year-old’s return to form in the Premier Liga has earned him the admiration of the fanbase, who would love to see him stay beyond his loan move.
That’s according to Russian football expert and ESPN commentator John Bradley, who has told the Liverpool Echo that he believes Vlasic’s strike against Real Madrid saw Koni’s fanbase take the forward into their hearts.
“He scored the goal against Madrid, so everyone was more than enamoured with him,” he claimed. “You write yourself into folklore with things like that.
“Would the fans like to keep Vlasic? I think they want to keep any player they’ve got with the financial situation the club’s in. Anyone who can help them they’d like to keep.
“They probably want a bit more from him than he’s given them and it’s a difficult time to be a CSKA player.”
Bradley added that Vlasic also has more to prove Marcel Brands before he will be given his chance at Goodison Park again, having scored three in six Champions League games, but only four in 17 in the Premier Liga.
“I think that Everton’s recruitment this summer will be better than it was the last couple of summers,” he said. “It’s been quite a scatter-gun approach. That is now obviously all working towards developing the club and recruiting better.
“You’ve got the nucleus of a squad that will be added to. I think they’re looking at higher-calibre, more expensive players than Vlasic moving forward.
“It’s not to denigrate him as a footballer or as a person. I just think now with [Farhad] Moshiri, everything they’re looking towards with the new stadium and the ambition Everton have they are going to look at a higher calibre of player.
“That would mean if he was to come back he’ll be a cup or squad type player. That’s probably not going to be good enough for him, so I think Everton are looking to a bigger market.”
If Vlasic does return to Merseyside at the end of his loan, we could still look to bank more than we paid Hajduk Split for him in 2017, with TransferMarkt valuing the 5-cap Croatia international at £16.2million.