Everton followed up the signing of Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with their second major transfer of the summer when they acquired Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen for €27 million (£23.6 million).
The 24-year-old Dutch international put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the Toffees, with his signing a further statement of intent from the Merseyside club ahead of the new season.
Speaking to the club’s official website about the move, Everton manager Ronald Koeman outlined some of the qualities Klaassen will bring to the squad:
“He’s a player who is only 24 but has a lot of experience and is a leader on the pitch. He has already captained Ajax for two seasons, and that shows you the type of person he is. He is hardworking, likes to press and, of course, will give us more creativity and goals.”
The History
Klaassen was recruited into the Ajax youth academy at the age of 14 and progressed all the way through to the first-team.
He made his senior debut as a substitute in a Champions League clash against Lyon in November 2011, with his Eredivisie bow coming five days later when he scored coming off the bench in a 3-0 win over NEC Nijmegen.
A serious groin injury meant that Klaassen sat out most of the 2012/13 season before he enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2013/14.
The midfielder registered 10 goals and three assists from 26 league appearances as Ajax claimed a fourth successive league title, and he also gained valuable European experience in both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
Klaassen continued his upward trajectory over the following season, producing six goals and nine assists in 30 league outings before being handed the captaincy ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.
Operating more predominantly as an attacking midfielder, Klaassen tallied an impressive 13 goals and eight assists in 31 league matches, and he continued to produce eye-catching numbers last term, racking up 14 goals and 10 assists from 33 appearances.
He was also a crucial member of the Ajax side that progressed to the final of the Europa League, producing two goals and two assists in 13 outings as the Dutch side eventually lost 2-0 to Manchester United in Stockholm.
Klaassen appeared for Holland at all age groups from U16s to U21s, scoring seven goals in 29 appearances, before making his senior debut as a substitute in a 2-0 friendly defeat to France in March 2014.
He scored his first goal for the national team in a 2-0 friendly win over Spain in March 2015 and has totalled four goals and one assist from his 14 international appearances.
The Prospects
Following a distinct lack of goals and assists from midfield last season, it is no surprise to see Koeman enter the transfer market in a bid to add some potency and creativity.
Only Ross Barkley (five) and Kevin Mirallas (four) scored more than two goals among the Toffees’ midfielders last term. The pair also led the way for assists, with 11 and eight respectively, with no other player managing more than four.
Bearing in mind Barkley’s future at the club is in serious doubt given he turned down a contract offer with just a year remaining on his current deal, the need to address this issue was even more stark.
In Klaassen Everton look to have a player who can add a further cutting edge to the side, with the Dutchman himself listing his strengths as including an ability to make late runs into the box and creating chances with through balls and key passes.
He delivered a chance every 49.2 minutes and averaged a shot every 47.5 minutes last term.
Those numbers aren’t overly impressive when comparing him with Barkley and Mirallas though, with the Englishmen creating a chance every 34.6 minutes and Mirallas producing a key pass every 48.4 minutes.
Klaassen also trails the pair for average minutes per shot, with Barkley (33) and Mirallas (33.5) both superior.
The numbers reflect the fact Mirallas and Barkley operated in more advanced midfield positions than Klaassen did for the majority of last season, but there is clear evidence that the Dutchman is a more instinctive and accomplished goalscorer.
Of Klaassen’s 14 goals last season, 12 arrived from inside the box, while 45 of his 60 attempts (75%) arrived from close range.
In contrast, just 41 of Barkley’s 80 shots were from inside the area, with Mirallas firing 29 of his 62 attempts in the box. In both cases that amounts to 46% of their total shots.
Klaassen could even end up as Everton’s first-choice penalty taker should Romelu Lukaku leave the club – he took seven of Ajax’s 16 penalties in all competitions last season, scoring five.
But with further arrivals expected at Goodison Park – Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson remains a target should Barkley leave this summer – the pecking order for all set-piece duties is still very much up for grabs.
While Klaassen’s production has been very impressive in Holland, the fact he could operate in a slightly deeper position than Barkley means he could perhaps be priced at 7.0 and 7.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
He could be most suited to playing as the most attack-minded central midfield player in either a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 system, though he is also able to play in the No 10 role, where his stamina and intelligence could be put to use pressing high up the pitch.
Klaassen’s potential to provide value depends largely on who else Koeman can attract to the club prior to the season kick-off.
Regardless, Everton’s brutal opening schedule following their opening day home clash against Stoke City (mci, che, TOT, mun) means that Fantasy managers are unlikely to consider Toffees investment for their Gameweek 1 squads.
Those early fixtures provide us with the ideal opportunity to take stock of Koeman’s new-look side, with potential value on offer once their schedule eases from Gameweek six.
Klaassen offers obvious attacking promise, but with Everton’s summer recruitment still in full flow, it remains to be seen whether we’ll be provided with stronger options from the Toffees attack by the time the transfer window shuts.
6 years, 10 months agoDoes Abraham going to Swansea (who already have Llorente) dampen his appeal now? When he was going to Brighton or Newcastle I had him penciled in for that 3rd striker role