Is this Southampton forward one of Everton’s top five Romelu Lukaku replacements?

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1. Graziano Pelle

Ironically, Lukaku’s replacement may have shared the pitch with the Belgian just the other night. With Koeman’s arrival at Everton, other Southampton stars may follow. As well as being linked to goalkeeper, Fraser Forster, the Toffees are reportedly eyeing up Pelle.

The Italian performed exceptionally for his nation and topped off his performance with a goal at the end of the night to seal the victory. His ability stood in stark contrast to the seemingly apathetic and mostly anonymous Lukaku.

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Over the past two seasons on the South Coast, Pelle has been rather hit-and-miss with only 30 goals in all competitions (certainly not as high as the Belgian), yet his natural finishing ability as a target man is undeniable.

Despite already being 30 years of age, the striker might develop further under Koeman’s tutelage, and quickly become an able replacement for Lukaku. As an Everton fan, I believe he would be welcomed quickly onto Merseyside, especially for a reported price tag of £9 million.

2. Marko Arnautovic

The second potential replacement for Lukaku is fellow Premier League striker, Marko Arnautovic. The Stoke and Austrian forward finished the past season with 12 goals as the Potters ended up in ninth place.

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However, the 27-year-old is refusing to sign a new contract with Stoke, and therefore the club have tried to sell the striker for around £12.5 million. As he wants to remain within England, Everton could remain a potential destination.

Stoke could serve to make nearly a £10 million profit if Arnautovic was to be sold at that reported price. It will remain interesting to watch the Austrian team in order to see if the forward can perform to a level where a club such as Everton would be willing to pay the asking price.

However, his goal-scoring record is far from that of Lukaku. He would prove an adequate replacement for Kone and Niasse, though his sizeable price tag might prove a stumbling block to this transfer. Countering this though, the influx of funding by Farhad Moshiri might make this purchase still possible.