Mario Gotze has been linked with a move to West Ham (Getty Images)
In 2014, Mario Gotze scored the winner for Germany against Argentina in the World Cup final. Fast forward five years and Germany’s golden boy is struggling to revive his career.
Mario Gotze, 26, burst out in the scene in 2009 at Borussia Dortmund as a teenager and played a big part in the club’s Bundesliga-winning squad of the 2010–11 season under then manager Jurgen Klopp. He was also a crucial cog when Dortmund retained the title, despite injury limiting him to just 26 appearances then.
The German enjoyed two prolific seasons at Bayern Munich but since the 2015-16 campaign, his form has fallen off the clip. Injuries have mightily hampered Gotze’s career but now slowly getting back to his best again in Dortmund colours, Everton should take a punt on him this summer.
Everton have had an inconsistent season first season under Marco Silva. The Toffees look short on real quality in every area of the pitch, especially in defence and the attack.
They need to invest heavily in the summer to solve their defensive woes after leaking goals for fun this season. Plus, a prolific goalscorer has to also be on Silva’s shopping list if the Merseyside outfit are to challenge for Europe next term.
Gotze’s productivity in front of goal has diminished in the past few seasons but his ability to create chances in the final third and assist his teammates remain unrivaled.
Gylfi Sigurdsson is the only Everton player who can operate in between the lines, link the play between midfield and attack and come up pearlers from set-pieces. The Toffees need much more than the Icelandic midfielder and Gotze would fit the bill perfectly at Goodison Park.
A creative playmaker by trade, Gotze has also excelled in the false 9 role and can play on either wing as well. The German can slip through passes in the final third and open up defences in one blink of an eye.
His movement and sharpness allows him to run comfortably with the ball at his feet. He is also adept at retaining possession and holding onto to the ball, linking up with his teammates and keeping things tick all over.
The former Bayern ace’s creativity, vision and finishing skills coupled with his versatility and work rate should make him a perfect fit for Everton.
It is true that the Merseyside outfit could benefit from adding a player in a similar mould of Gotze as their midfield has often lacked creativity and invention during this campaign.
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Everton need to bolster their squad with some quality players this summer to challenge for Europe and the Dortmund star should definitely be an ideal choice for Silva and company.