Everton are being linked with a move for Corinthians’ Wesley Gassova but just what the Brazilian teenage sensation potentially offer Sean Dyche’s side?
A report from Teamtalk states that Everton are plotting a move for the 18-year-old attacker who has impressed for his home city Sao Paulo-based outfit in his debut season in Brazil’s Serie A and sources say he is open to a transfer to the Blues. Everton’s prospective new owners 777 Partners have a global networks of scouts and analysts plus they already own a club in Brazil in the shape of Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro.
Wesley only penned a new deal with Corinthians in August – running until 2027 – but with other admirers in Spain and Portugal, including Porto, it’s claimed that a clause in his contract could allow him to leave for around £10million. To look at the teenager’s style of play, Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool correlates his numbers from this season against those playing in his position in the Premier League.One thing that stands out straight away is Wesley’s penchant for running at opponents with the ball at his feet, a skill to get fans off their seats. His 15.37 dribbles per 90 minutes is a figure that tops Premier League leader Jeremy Doku of Manchester City on 12.93; Luca Koleosho of Burnley on 9.33 and is almost twice as many as third place Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace on 7.75.
Wesley would also lead the way with 10.52 successful dribbles, ahead of the same trio of Doku (10.44); Koleosho (6.92) and Eze (5.46). The youngster is certainly among the thick of the action for Corinthians with his average of 20.22 attacking actions again above those at the top of the Premier League list with Doku on 19.39; former Everton target Mykhaylo Mudryk of Chelsea on 14.3 and Koleosho on 13.85 although Doku moves ahead of him for successful attacking actions (10.94) with the Brazilian still recorded 8.58, a higher figure than any current Premier League peer.
The Blues-linked ace also leads a couple of other categories with 22.85 offensive duels ahead of Doku 21.13; Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo (17.93) and Koleosho (16.25) and he backs that up by topping the charts for offensive duels won (13.43) to leave Doku (12.68); Koleosho (9.63) and Zaniolo (8.63) in his wake.Dyche likes his wide men to put a shift in so he might be encouraged to see Wesley posting a figure of 8.86 defensive actions which would put him fourth in the Premier League behind compatriot Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United (11.35) who leads the way but ahead of former Everton man Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United (8.85) in fifth and Dwight McNeil (8.83) in sixth and while this drops when it comes to successful defensive actions (5.82), he retains a respectable seventh spot.
Wesley’s 3.74 crosses per game would place him seventh in the Premier League in a category Luton Town’s Chiedozie Ogbene tops with 5.77 although it’s also fewer than fourth place McNeil on 4.54 but it looks like he’s still raw in this area as while McNeil is third for successful crosses (1.67, behind leader Pedro Neto of Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2.32), the South American drops to 16th with just 0.69. He also crops up in eighth place for interceptions (2.35) with just Fulham’s Bobby De Cordova-Reid (4.01) ahead of McNeil in second place on 3.34.
Given his youthful age, Wesley looks to be very much a work in progress but that’s where Everton need to start recruiting smarter. Richarlison already had a season in the Premier League with Watford under his belt before the Blues splashed out £35million on him in 2018 and after wantaway owner Farhad Moshiri admitting last summer that “we have not always spent significant amounts of money wisely,” the club have to start identifying emerging talent quicker when it comes to the new ‘Richarlison’ before the price tags start to rise.
