Reports by L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, earlier this week claimed Everton have shown an interest in Valere Germain, but Carlo Ancelotti would make an unforgivable mistake by pursuing a deal for the Olympique de Marseille striker.
Germain is understood to be a target for a host of European sides with the 30-year-old out of contract in the summer, and his time at the Orange Velodrome expected to come to an end having been unable to impress Jorge Sampaoli.
The Argentine took over from Andre Villas-Boas at the OM helm in February and is yet to award Germain a single second of game time, having left the £3.5m-rated forward as an unused substitute in each of his four Ligue 1 fixtures in charge.
Should Everton sign Marseille’s Germain?
Yes, he’d be a solid back-up
No, he isn’t good enough
It is claimed that Germain’s spectator role in Marseille’s 2-0 win at home to Dijon FCO on Sunday came as a clear indication to his time in southern France being over, and that it is now inevitable he will leave at the end of the season.
Germain has already discussed a summer transfer with several clubs, including serious talks with Italian outfits as the Serie A emerges as his most likely destination. Ligue 1 sides FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Stade Rennais are also very keen to keep the forward in France.
But they could face competition from AC Milan and Everton as well, as the two parties have also come forward to express their interest in a potential move for the former France U21 international with a view to taking on a squad role.
The Toffees and Rossoneri have only made initial contact with Germain over transfers to Goodison Park and the San Siro, as they look to round out their options for next season.
Everton may be in the market for a striker this summer amid doubt in the long-term futures of Cenk Tosun and Moise Kean on Merseyside, with the attackers both available for the right fee and Joshua King being expected to leave at the end of his contract in June.
But Ancelotti would make an unforgivable mistake by targeting Germain to offer depth behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, as the Marseille outcast would not be expected to push either to perform at their best.
Ancelotti has praised AS Roma loanee Robin Olsen for keeping Jordan Pickford on his toes this season, having seen the 31-year-old push the England number one to clean up his game by not being afraid to swap his goalkeeper option.
That choice would not be there with Germain being the latest understudy for Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, having never proven to be a prolific centre-forward throughout his career.
Sampaoli’s assistant coach Nasser Larguet, who took interim charge of Marseille following Villas-Boas’ sacking, may have described Germain as “a very good professional” who can be influential on results, yet that is all too often not the case.
Germain boasts a woeful one in five goal record for Marseille since his arrival at the Orange Velodrome in 2017, having scored just 31 times in 159 games across all competitions. In fact, across his career, his record sits at just one in four with 94 goals in 397 appearances.
The ex-AS Monaco striker has only provided 40 assists throughout his career since making his Les Monegasques debut in May 2011, as well, for a combined goal involvement of one in every three games or every 177 minutes.
Ancelotti would not be able to rely on Germain stepping up to the plate and delivering for Everton when Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison are off-form next season, and must not step up the Toffees’ alleged interest despite the £43,000-per-week attacker set to be a free agent.
AND in other news, Everton have landed a huge boost in the race to sign a £20m “victim of circumstance”…