Did Everton Make a Mistake? Cannon Outscores Beto After £7.5m Transfer

Since David Moyes’ return, Everton’s attacking output has significantly improved. In their last eight Premier League matches, they’ve scored 15 goals from an expected goals (xG) of 11.59.

This is a stark contrast to their performance under Sean Dyche previously, where they only managed 12 goals from 21.79 xG in 19 Premier League games.

How did Everton transform from underperforming their xG to exceeding it, gaining crucial Premier League points and moving away from relegation danger?

The answer might be Beto.

Beto’s Impact on Everton’s Attack

Everton has struggled to find a consistent striker for several seasons. They often relied on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who, despite a strong 2020/21 season with 21 goals and 3 assists in 39 appearances, hasn’t replicated that form, scoring only 18 goals in the following four seasons.

In 2023, Everton signed Beto from Udinese for approximately £25.75m.

Beto’s first season at Everton was underwhelming, with six goals and three assists in 39 appearances, playing only 1,307 minutes.

However, under Moyes, Beto has experienced a resurgence, scoring five Premier League goals in his last five games. This season, he has 10 goals and one assist in 24 appearances, totaling 1,153 minutes.

Despite Beto’s recent form, Everton might regret letting go of a potentially more prolific scorer in the same summer they signed Beto, selling a promising talent to Leicester for just £7.5m.

Everton’s £7.5m Transfer Decision

Everton’s history of selling players isn’t without its misses, with Ademola Lookman, a Ballon d’Or nominee, and Moise Kean, who scored 19 goals this season after leaving, both excelling elsewhere. They are not the only forwards who have thrived after leaving Goodison Park.

Tom Cannon, an Everton academy product with an impressive record of 51 goals and 14 assists in 97 appearances for the youth teams, struggled to break into the senior squad.

After joining Leicester in 2023, Cannon had a successful loan spell, scoring eight goals in 21 games for Preston North End in the 2023/24 season. He then moved to Stoke City on loan for the 2024/25 season, scoring 11 goals in 25 matches.

Cannon’s Championship form attracted Sheffield United, leading to a permanent transfer for around £10m in the winter window.

Liam Rosenior, former Hull City manager, praised Cannon as “outstanding” and “one of the best” strikers Hull faced under his management.

While Everton fans may not be overly concerned about Cannon’s departure yet, the future performances of Calvert-Lewin and Beto will determine whether selling Cannon was a misstep, as he is likely to continue developing and scoring goals.