Everton's transfer window finally appears to be gaining steam, and manager Sean Dyche is now hoping to fortify his offensive ranks with a swoop for Juventus teenager Samuel Iling-Junior.
The Toffees have only signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan and Ashley Young on a free transfer, and while a £13m deal has been agreed for Sporting Lisbon striker Youssef Chermiti, more work will need to be done to avoid another perilous season battling against relegation from the Premier League.
What's the latest on Samuel Iling-Junior to Everton?
Italian outlet il BiancoNero revealed one week ago that Everton have displayed a concrete interest in Iling-Junior following El Bilal Toure's rejection of the Goodison Park side in favour of Atalanta.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
More recently, Tuttomercatoweb have claimed that Everton and Premier League rivals Aston Villa are in pursuit, though the OId Lady would only sanction a sale if their €25m (£21m) valuation is met, with the player penning a new long-term deal last December.
Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?
Everton's director of football Kevin Thelwell has his work cut out to ensure that the club finally construct a team capable of challenging for a place higher up the ladder in the English top-flight.
After years of issues, the maladies on Merseyside could be cured with the crafting of a team brimming with first-class talent; Chermiti, aged 19, certainly looks a future star, while Iling-Junior holds the tools to build a successful career.
A dynamic and explosive winger, Iling-Junior scored once and supplied two assists from 18 outings for Juventus last season, only starting on three occasions.
Once lauded for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by scout Antonio Mango, the 19-year-old already ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref – though it's important to note that this is based off little match action.
Nevertheless, it illustrates his natural striking instinct and skill as a bouncing, energetic force on the flanks, with journalist Michele Neri already heralding the starlet as an "assist machine".
When discussing Iling-Junior's style, Neri also said:
“In these qualities, you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leão when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. Of course he is certainly less impactful today than Leão is and has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese’s level."
The AC Milan phenom is definitely not a bad choice to mould one's game off, with the Portuguese talent, who has been dubbed a "phenomenon" by Italian sporting director Fabio Cordella, scoring 16 goals and providing 15 assists across all competitions.
The £105k-per-week gem ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals, the top 11% for assists, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.
Given Leão's progressive prowess and electric presence, Iling-Junior could flourish with Everton – boasting a similar profile, he could devastate on the Toffees' flank and grow into one of Europe's leading stars.
