‘I said it last season’: Victor Anichebe claims Everton should replace Dyche with 48-year-old
Victor Anichebe has claimed that Everton should have sacked Sean Dyche this summer.
Responding to the Toffees’ Instagram post at full-time, the former striker slammed the club and claimed that Graham Potter should have been appointed as their new manag
Everton succumbed to their second successive defeat in the new campaign as they were thrashed 4-0 by Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
The Merseyside outfit are yet to get off the mark and put on an embarrassing display at Villa Park that has left them bottom of the Premier League table after two games.
Dyche has kicked off his first full campaign at Goodison Park after he replaced Frank Lampard in January and previously received plaudits for keeping Everton up on the last day of the 2022/23 season.
However, Anichebe believes his time should haveHowever, Anichebe believes his time should have been up in May and his former side should have brought in Potter, who is still without a job.
Victor Anichebe fumes at Everton and insists Sean Dyche should leave
Writing on Instagram, Anichebe said: ‘I said it last season when the club stayed up big changes were needed.
‘Personally I would have been EXTREMELY grateful to Dyche and thanked him for keeping the club up, but I would have went for Potter as the club needs a mentality shift and to breed through academy players.
‘What happened? Few people on the board left and no Everton signings. Couple players came in that don’t even play. Even the poor teams in the Premier League have strengthened, have an identity and are spending.
“What about Everton? Nada. No transfer strategy, no leadership when Seamus isn’t there. It’s going to be a long season.’
Graham Potter has been without a club since he was sacked by Chelsea in April. The 48-year-old failed to impress at Stamford Bridge but previously did spectacularly with Brighton & Hove Albion, leading them to a nineth place finish in the Premier League before leaving for London.
Everton have been linked with a move for FC Porto attacker Goncalo Borges in the summer transfer window, and a big update regarding a key aspect of the deal has now emerged.
Do Everton want to sign Goncalo Borges?
Much has rightly been made of the Blues’ need to bring in attacking reinforcements this summer, having struggled in the final third for goals last season. It has held them back badly, with their defending often solid enough, and that needs to change in 2023/24, as they look to avoid a third Premier League relegation battle in a row.
While the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Hugo Ekitike continued to be talked up as potential options to arrive at Goodison Park before the end of the month, another player who has been linked with a switch there is Borges.
The 22-year-old has made 23 appearances for Porto to date, getting some important experience under his belt at the top level, and he registered 19 goal contributions (11 goals and eight assists) in 78 appearances for Porto B.
It is clear that Borges isn’t going to be allowed to leave his current club on the cheap, however, so Everton will have to splash the cash if they are to get their man. A new update has now emerged regarding his future, with his price tag revealed.
What’s the latest on Goncalo Borges to Everton?
According to the Sunday Mirror [via Goodison News], Porto will accept an offer for £13m for the winger’s services this summer, should Everton “decide to take an initial interest further”.
It is stated that the Portuguese don’t want to lose Borges at this point in his career, however, with Braga also mentioned as potential suitors in the report.
While Everton’s interest in the young attacker appears to be relatively tentative at the moment in time, £13m does seem like a reasonable amount to spend on someone with a high ceiling who is just getting started in his career.
Granted, he is yet to actually score or assist for Porto, which suggests that he wouldn’t solve the Blues’ attacking woes too much, but could be viewed as a long-term acquisition who may be a squad player to begin with, eventually becoming a key man as the years pass.
What is clear is that Everton still need to sign a more proven option, however – Gnonto and Ekitike are also very young players who aren’t yet the finish article as well, just like Borges – in order to not rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin too much moving forward.
The Englishman continues to be plagued by injuries and Neal Maupay is not an adequate replacement to lead the line, having scored and assisted just once apiece in 30 appearances since arriving from Brighton, which is a terrible return for any striker.
In terms of Borges, though, Everton should do all they can to bring him in, especially if Gnonto ends up staying put at Leeds United, giving Sean Dyche more options in attack and bringing much-needed positivity to the fanbase, at a time when it arguably feels at a real low point.
