In recent years, Everton have been made to pay for an under-par midfield engine room and whilst that has been somewhat fixed this summer, many of the club’s failed signings still linger in Carlo Ancelotti’s ranks.
It’s made worse by the fact that they had the perfect player already at the club until he rejected an insulting offer back in 2015.
Now at Premier League rivals Sheffield United, John Lundstram has become a man in demand and certainly could’ve been a neat man to have around over the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Tom Davies and Andre Gomes.
At the end of the 2014/15 season, then-Toffees boss Roberto Martinez only offered the academy graduate a six-month contract, to which he rejected and said: “It definitely makes a difference being permanent. You just feel much more part of things.”
How is Lundstram getting on?
The 26-year-old is soon entering a similar predicament at the Blades. He is yet to sign an extension and according to Sky Sports, SPFL giants Rangers and top-flight rivals, Crystal Palace and Burnley, are keen to sign him.
Since Bramall Lane witnessed promotion from the Championship, Lundstram has become a key cog under Chris Wilder – last season, he averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.3 clearances and 1.3 shots per game, via WhoScored.
That is on top of scoring five goals and providing three assists. Clearly, he’s an industrious presence at either end of the pitch. And the same can’t be said for any of the aforementioned Toffees trio.
The £7.2m-rated powerhouse has been lauded as a “real menace” by teammate Billy Sharp, who also added: “He’s got all the attributes. He runs so much in a game, he provides assists and goals.”
Lundstram, in his current form, would’ve been a perfect compliment to the likes of Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in the middle. Even if that’s said in hindsight.
To this day, the Englishman is proving Martinez wrong and surely it leaves Everton rueing from his release.
AND in other news, £54m-rated Everton star delivered a shocking display in Leeds defeat…