Three surprise packages at Everton this season

By Tom Procter

Everton have been going well in the Premier League so far this season.

Marco Silva has come in and really taken the team in a different direction to where it was perhaps headed under Sam Allardyce.

The Portuguese appears to have bought well and is surely confident of pushing for a Europa League spot this term.

The Toffees have had some players perform how one might expect them to, but who are their surprise packages so far in the 2018/19 campaign?

Michael Keane

Keane has had a fine start to the 2018/19 season, after a really tough first season following his 2017 move from Burnley.

Keane struggled to justify his £30 million price tag and often appeared burdened on the pitch.

(Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)

He recently spoke of his guilt for ‘playing poorly’, believing he and others were responsible for getting Ronaldo Koeman the sack.

This season it’s a different story though, and his game has improved dramatically both defensively and offensively.

Lucas Digne

The £18 million signing from Barcelona arrived with big expectations – and he’s more than lived up to them.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who would have predicted Digne would have been one of the best value for money signings by Christmas, but that’s exactly what he is.

Digne has ensured Everton fans don’t have to worry about the decline of an ageing Leighton Baines. The Frenchman has been top class.

Andre Gomes

Andre Gomes arrived at Goodison Park to the ridicule of rival fans.

He hasn’t pulled up any trees with Barcelona since moving there in 2016. He also fared poorly for Portugal at Euro 2016 despite them eventually winning the tournament, and he didn’t make their final 2018 World Cup squad.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

When an injured Gomes arrived at Everton on loan, people had plenty to say. But he’s been sublime for the Toffees, showing the kind of talent that convinced Barca to sign him.

It’s little wonder Everton want to sign him permanently.