With temperatures soaring to record-breaking levels across the country, the urge to buy ‘a Cornet’ is a tempting prospect for many. But will Everton get theirs to cool the frustrations of fans left sweating over their lack of purchases so far this summer?
With only free transfer James Tarkowski through the door so far, Blues boss Frank Lampard – who wanted to bring in at least one other fresh face before his side embarked on their US tour – has been kept waiting for Goodison Park chiefs to release the purse strings in what is a first transfer window together for himself and new director of football Kevin Thelwell.
Attempts to try and prise Thelwell’s former youth charge Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers have not yet tempted the Midlanders to part with their home-grown prospect who impressed on loan at Sheffield United last season. But with funds at Everton understood to be relatively tight despite Richarlison’s £60million sale to Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues’ desire for a ‘creative’ approach to the market this summer has seen an opening loan with a view to buy offer for Maxwel Cornet also rejected by Burnley. However, with the Ivory Coast international keen on making the move, it looks like Everton will have to meet his £17.5million release clause to land their target.
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Despite the Clarets’ relegation, Cornet showed himself to be an effective performer in his first season in English football, finishing as his team’s top scorer, netting nine goals – including the 85th-minute winner against Everton at Turf Moor on April 6 that left the visitors despondent after throwing away a game that they dominated for long periods. The 25-year-old’s emergence as an attacking threat was a remarkable turnaround given that the previous year, his last season in France with Lyon, some 24 of his appearances came as left-back.
At Burnley though, Cornet was deployed much further forward with 14 outings on the left flank, 12 at centre-forward, and even solitary appearances as a right=winger and second striker. Those displays in an attacking role down the left will have caught the Blues’ eyes as they search for a replacement for Richarlison.
With Lampard also keen to utilise his Stamford Bridge connections, another player they have been linked with has been Chelsea’s Armando Broja who is on his way back to England after a truncated spell with Thomas Tuchel’s squad in the USA – flying out later than the main party alongside new signing Raheem Sterling – and now returning early with clubs vying for his services. West Ham United, who had wanted to land the 20-year-old on a permanent deal, are now understood to be leading the chase for him on loan. But how does he shape up against Cornet?
At 6ft 3in, the Slough-born Albanian international is some five inches taller at that physical presence tends to see him deployed mainly as the focal point of the attack with only rare forays from wide areas. When putting Cornet and Broja head to head on Comparisonator, it’s clear that the pair offer quite different threats.
Offensive parameters are something of a mixed bag with Cornet ahead on goals per 90 minutes (0.43 to 0.26); assists (0.05 to 0); shot assists (0.58 to 0.34); shots (2.16 to 1.84); shots on target (1.11 to 0.9); head shots (0.14 to 0.09); expected goals (0.32 to 0.28) and expected assists (0.19 to 0.12). However, Broja leads the way for dribbles (4.23 to 2.79); successful dribbles (2.26 to 1.06); attacking actions (6.71 to 6.15) and successful attacking actions (3.2 to 2.35).
As you might expect from a player who previously has been deployed primarily as a full-back, Cornet dominates a defensive head-to-head. He leads Broja for ball recoveries (1.44 to 0.85); interceptions (1.92 to 1.37); ball losses (8.55 to 11.79); ball losses in his own half (1.01 to 2.18); defensive actions (6.97 to 6.83) and successful defensive actions (3.85 to 2.99), with the on-loan Southampton man only ahead when it comes to ball recoveries in the opponents half (0.56 to 0.43) and ball losses in his own half that lead to a shot within 20 seconds (0.13 to 0.19).
Given his stature, Broja predictably fares better on duels parameters, dominating aerial duels (12.9 to 4.23); aerial duels won (4.14 to 1.25); defensive duels (4.19 to 3.89); offensive duels (23.24 to 12.21) and offensive duels won (8.24 to 3.8). But it’s telling again from a defensive standpoint that despite contesting fewer defensive duels, Cornet won more (1.3 to 1.11). Perhaps the most revealing contrast considering that Broja has been schooled at Chelsea is Cornet outperforming him on passing parameters despite him receiving more passes (32.51 to 24.75).
Lampard is eager to implement a more possession-based game and the Burnley player had the edge for passes (20.42 to 17.26); successful passes (14.51 to 11.06); key passes (0.82 to 0.51); successful key passes (0.38 to 0.21); long passes (0.48 to 0.04); successful long passes (0.34 to 0); passes to the final third (11.29 to 9.87); successful passes to the final third (7.3 to 6.28); crosses (1.2 to 0.64) and successful crosses (0.19 to 0.04). Given that both men have been touted as potential loan and permanent signings, it seems that if cash is going to be handed over now in a market in which Everton have to be prudent with their funds, Cornet, the elder of the pair by five years and far more the finished article, seems the more enticing option for a purchase at this stage before we all melt.
Comparisonator is a football data comparison tool from 271 professional leagues around the world which compares players and clubs by utilising over 100 different parameters. Click here for more details.
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