Everton are already profiting from the resolution to take Demarai Gray again to England after the winger scored his second purpose in as many Premier League matches on Saturday.
He had as soon as been a daily at Leicester till his profession appeared set to enhance final season earlier than a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen took him to Germany in January for simply round £ 2.7 million.
Only 10 Bundesliga matches later and eyebrows have been raised when Everton paid even much less to make him one in every of new coach Rafa Benitez’s first signings in July. But up to now, Gray has proved to be a really smart acquisition for Everton.
It looks like he is been round a really very long time – he grew to become a daily for Birmingham within the 2014 championship – however Gray remains to be solely 25 and probably nonetheless shy of his prime.
Gray set the ball rolling for Everton’s win towards Brighton / Steve Bardens / Getty Images
Perhaps unexpectedly, he has now began all three of Everton’s Premier League matches up to now this season and has scored essential targets in two of them.
His shot towards Brighton set the ball rolling for a dominant win and confirmed completely what he can do. Gray had been vibrant and vigorous earlier than scoring, however it was the way in which he collected the ball and drove in a kind of straight line in the direction of the purpose that’s notably exceptional.
He confronted Brighton defender Adam Webster, who was cautious to sort out and tried to point out Gray outwards on his weaker left foot. But that didn’t frighten the Everton man and as soon as he had reached the penalty space, he took the shot together with his left over the purpose, discovered the underside nook and gave his workforce a lead that they by no means gave up.
That type of tempo and driving with or with out the ball is a large asset, whether or not a workforce takes the sport to an opponent, needs to interrupt the counterattack or defend a lead and is searching for a ball service to alleviate the stress by working across the clock. Everton additionally picked up Andros Townsend on a free switch in the course of the summer time and he has an analogous optimistic affect.
The break from the highlight appears to have made Gray the nice world, nearly as if it has enabled him to take a breath and get well earlier than beginning once more with a brand new problem.
Everton have spent lots of cash on gamers who’ve disillusioned lately, however maybe one in every of their finest signings is somebody who value lower than £ 2 million.
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