Everton have been accused of potentially being ‘really outrageous’ by signing Donny van de Beek and then Dele Alli after him.
The midfield pair arrived at Goodison Park on deadline day of the January transfer window, with the latter signing on loan from Manchester United and the latter in a permanent deal from Tottenham.
The moves have been warmly welcomed by fans at Goodison Park, who were desperate to see new midfielders added to the squad in the winter window.
There are some concerns about the double deal, though, given both players are arguably at their best playing in the number ten role.
That means they will be in direct competition with each other for one spot in the team, should new manager Frank Lampard stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation he’s favoured at both Derby and Chelsea.
For Van de Beek, that will be disappointing given he has moved to Everton for the regular playing time that he hasn’t been able to find at Manchester United.
“If you say to him: ‘we will get Dele Alli’, then he might not want to come at all. I don’t think you say that just like that,” he told Voetbalpraat on ESPN, relayed by Voetbal Primeur
“It’s the same as with Davy Klaassen back then. A day later, they also got Gylfi Sigurdsson, and he played. Maybe Van de Beek has too, although Lampard is a coach who loves football.
“People often say: we see Van de Beek on the ten-position. Fine, good feeling, we will do it. A day later, they have the same conversation with Alli… I swear that’s how it goes. An opportunity. And then you have two…
“Maybe they will both play, but maybe Van de Beek was brought in for width in the tough Premier League. Besides, Everton is not one of the better teams in England, so you often have to play on your own half.
“I think in terms of the type of game, he would have been better off going to Manchester City.”
