TOSUN AND THEO CAN BE DEADLY DUO
PREMIER LEAGUE
CENK TOSUN is relishing the prospect of teaming up with fellow Everton new boy Theo Walcott.
Walcott, 28, last night completed his £20m switch from Arsenal on a threeand-a-half-year deal.
Turkey striker Tosun believes they can go on to become a dynamic duo up front for the club.
“Theo is a great player, proven player,” Tosun said. “He’s done really well for Arsenal.
“He’s really fast, he’s a great crosser. I would say it’s a massive signing for us and I think I’d link up well with him.
“When you look at him he is not an old player but he has a lot of experience.
“He will bring a lot to the team. We need that kind of input up front and I hope he will give that to us.”
Tosun himself has only just joined from Besiktas for £27m.
And he has backed himself to fill the goalscoring gap left by Romelu Lukaku’s £90m summer move to Manchester United.
“Of course I think I can do it,” said the 26-year-old.
“Lukaku has done really well here but I am hoping to score as many goals as I can and do well.”
Tosun claimed it has always been a “dream” to play in the Premier League and says boss Sam Allardyce was one of the reasons he chose Everton over other clubs who were chasing his signature.
Signed
He also believes he was destined to play in one of Europe’s top leagues, not even letting his disappointment at Eintracht Frankfurt put him off.
The German-born striker came through the ranks at Eintracht.
But he made only one appearance in the Bundesliga before moving to Turkey, the birth place of his parents, to play for Gaziantepspor in 2011.
The Germany Under-21 international eventually signed for Besiktas four years later and 41 league goals for them would earn him a move to Everton.
“I think by playing for the Germany under-15s until under-21s, I did quite well. But at Frankfurt there were already players who were playing for national teams so the breakthrough was difficult,” he said.
“I thought it was better to try to get where I wanted by going to Turkey and playing there. That is what I have done.”
Toffees fans’ first glimpse of him in an Everton shirt didn’t go too well as they were thumped 4-0 by Tottenham at Wembley on Saturday.
But they will be hoping to see more when they host West Brom on Saturday at Goodison Park.
Tosun grew up idolising Argentina and Fiorentina icon Gabriel Batistuta, and believes Everton fans may see glimpses of the long-haired legend’s game in his style of play.
“Gabriel Batistuta was one of my idols,” he said. “I loved his playing style.
“He was a great header of the ball. There is a saying he could shoot with his head.
“I think there are similarities between my style and his.”
Everton fans will be happy if he can score a fraction of the goals the great Batistuta managed. Yp :?I@J DZB<EE8