Sean Dyche robbed of ‘very big talent’ Ishe Samuels-Smith for Everton future after Chelsea transfer swoop – Sky Sports pundit
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Everton should be able to “groom” talents like Ishe Samuels-Smith to break into the first team but Sean Dyche “doesn’t have the luxury of being able to groom anybody” in his situation, says Kevin Campbell.
Chelsea have just snapped up the 17-year-old full-back despite the position being one of the Toffees boss’ priorities in the transfer window this summer, with Fabrizio Romano reporting the £4million deal is “done and sealed” on 6 July.
But with the manager needing all the help he can get towards building a transfer fund to strengthen immediately in order to avoid a third-straight relegation scrap Campbell believes he was powerless to resist losing a potential jewel of the next generation right now
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News the Sky Sports pundit said: “Very good player. Very big talent. And you think to yourself a club like Everton should be grooming someone like that to come into the team.
“But Everton’s problem is they haven’t got the funds, so unfortunately you have to cut your cloth accordingly.
“And if somebody like Chelsea’s going to be putting good money down for a 17-year-old then unfortunately Sean Dyche doesn’t have the luxury of being able to groom anybody.
“He needs funds to try to bring people in to strengthen his first team so they’re not in the same position they ended up in last season.
“Sad but true.”
The teenager dubbed the “next Leighton Baines” [Daily Mail, 3 July] had also been interesting the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham so it is clear there are high expectations of him.
Given how much the Everton squad needs quality it is all the more galling to see it snatched out from the academy before it has as chance to have any sort of impact on the first team.
But if a player that good sees better prospects at a club that hasn’t been in a relegation battle (quite) and has nothing like the financial issues (yet) then there is little the manager can do to stand in his way, and until there are major changes at Goodison Park that have time to trickle down to squad level that is the way things will continue.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have taken “important steps” in a heated transfer race and look to have put themselves in the lead for a live-wire attacker.
