Ademola Lookman’s future at Everton sparked debate throughout the recent campaign and into the summer, but the London-born winger is still on the Blues’ books despite reported interest emerging from elsewhere in the Premier League and abroad.
Marco Silva was even thought to have given the 5 ft 7 Charlton product the go-ahead to secure a move away from Goodison Park amid heavy rumours of a £20million bid being prepared by Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton.
The alleged offer has not seen the light of day, though, with the Saints focusing on other targets instead, including securing the services of Birmingham City’s Che Adams for a reported £15million, a striker that had been touted as a player of interest for Marcel Brands.
But Lookman may yet leave Everton this summer, with Besiktas recently linked with a loan approach to take the 21-year-old to the Super Lig for the 2019/20 season.
It seems Toffees icon Steven Pienaar would prefer Brands and Silva reject any approach for the former England youth international’s services, though, as the South African has told the Liverpool Echo that while Lookman’s talents are ‘raw’, he can be a ‘really exciting’ player for our future once he realises his potential.
“I am looking forward to Lookman getting more game time and developing as a player, because he is a really exciting young player,” Pienaar said.
“He is still young and raw, but I can see a lot of good signs in him. His talent is there, he just needs the finishing touches, and, hopefully, this will be his season to break through.
“I was quite fortunate when I broke into the Ajax first-team. Ronald Koeman came in the December, and two months later he played me and let me play until the end of the season. Young players need to make mistakes to learn from them, and you need to play week in, week out.
“There is a lot of expectation to win games, but he just needs to push himself and be consistent.”
So could the upcoming campaign be the season that Lookman establishes himself in the Everton first-team? This is what these Blues fans have had to say…
Think if we get a decent offer for him this summer he will be gone!
— Aide Dews (@AidyDews) July 5, 2019
Hope not, the kids got all the talent, just needs to knuckle down and work hard
— Chris addison (@Addo1878) July 5, 2019
Just don’t think he did enough last season. Think he wanted out but we kept him and gave him chances but he didn’t take them, then he was inconsistent in training according to Silva so I think if we got a good off we will be willing to sell imo
— Aide Dews (@AidyDews) July 5, 2019
If we are serious about winning things then we need to keep him and play him more. No point having a good team and not a bigger better squad to rotate in cups
— The Street End! Block GT7 Row R (@andyc192) July 5, 2019
Not at Everton
— LeftisTrigger (@LeftisTrigger) July 5, 2019
Forget the wing. Needs to push Gylfi. The kid can create, beat a man, has a left and right foot. Get him on the ball. Needs to be playing the No10 role.
— Paul Kak (@paulkak) July 5, 2019