ALAN PARDEW BACKS EVERTON ATTACKER TO JOIN ARNE SLOT’S LIVERPOOL AND ‘DELIVER’

Liverpool and Everton face a very different 2024 summer transfer window.

For once, it’s Everton who have stability in the dugout because Sean Dyche has been their manager for over 12 months, even if there is no clear idea about the ownership and the goings-on off the pitch.

As for Liverpool, it’s time for a new era at Anfield with Jurgen Klopp out of the door and Arne Slot officially beginning life as the club’s new manager on June 1.

It’s going to be interesting to see how much the Reds spend and how much they back Slot, especially if big names such as Mohamed Salah leave.

The same can’t be said for Everton. Whilst their rivals can afford to keep hold of their big names and reject any offers, their neighbours probably can’t afford such luxury.

That much-hated profit and sustainability is biting many teams where the sun doesn’t shine and the Toffees are one of those.

It has raised the question as to who will leave Goodison Park this summer, with players left, right and centre suggested for transfers.

But one man who Alan Pardew was discussing was a certain Dominic Calvert-Lewin – there are suggestions that he is a transfer target for Newcastle United.

The former Premier League manager feels the 27-year-old could play for ‘any team’ in the Premier League and even backed him to do so for Liverpool, as he told talkSPORT (02/06/24 at 8:40 pm).

Pardew thinks, if Calvert-Lewin was playing up front for Slot, then he would ‘deliver’, with his only issue, and it’s his biggest issue, being his inability to stay out of the treatment room.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Liverpool

“I think every Premier League manager would take him,” said Pardew. “Whether you could get your owner to say ‘okay, I am going to pay the £40 million or the £45 million’, whatever he is going to be, it will be less than that given his injuries.

“Chairmen don’t want to go for a player that might only play ten games, but his ten games could be so significant to a manager and it could save his job. He could save you in the league. He could win you a cup. He could get you into Europe. That’s the difference he can make when he is on his game. In those last couple of games he played, he was magnificent against Liverpool. There aren’t many players who can achieve, the level he can achieve when he is fit. The problem, of course, is his unavailability, which happens to be a bit of an issue for him.

“Realistically, he could play in any team. I honestly believe that. Even at Liverpool. At times, you could stick him at centre-forward, no problem and you know he would deliver.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin next season

On paper, Calvert-Lewin probably had a season to forget in 2023/24 after scoring only seven Premier League goals and suffering a massive drought – his standout moment was scoring against Liverpool.

But this is the first time in a number of years that he has played over 2,000 Premier League minutes. The last time he did that, he scored 16 goals and found himself part of England’s Euro 2020 squad.

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That’s three seasons of injuries, a lack of game time, confidence, sharpness and rhythm. He has just got it back this season.

But you feel the goals and his all-round game that goes with it, will only kick on next term if he can remain fit and play 2,000+ minutes again.