Former Everton midfielder Michael Ball believes Fabian Delph could prove to be an “absolute steal” this season.
The England international midfielder joined Everton this summer for a fee of around £8.5million from Manchester City, brought in to shore up Marco Silva’s midfield options, particularly in the wake of Idrissa Gueye leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.
While the two-time Premier League winner missed the opening three league fixtures, he has started and played the duration of Everton’s last two games, a Carabao Cup tie with Lincoln City and a league match against Wolves at Goodison Park, and he has impressed in both games.
His leadership qualities were never in doubt, but his ability on the ball so far has proved to be crucial in helping Silva’s side tick along nicely.
Ball, who played for the Toffees between 1996 and 2001, wrote about Delph’s impact in his column with the Liverpool Echo, claiming he could prove to be a really key figure for Silva’s side. Ball wrote:
Delph has already showed what a natural born leader he is. (He) arrives with a winning mentality.
You’ve clearly got to be good to play for Manchester City and have something about you to play under Pep Guardiola, and on Sunday (against Wolves) we saw for ourselves the quality he possesses.
At £8million he could prove to be an absolute steal.
Is Fabian Delph the bargain of the summer?
Read Everton Verdict
There has been much talk about Delph this week and why Arsenal didn’t look to pursue a move for him. I have been someone who has disapproved of Delph’s move from Manchester to Merseyside this summer as I’ve never really rated the player, from his time at Aston Villa to recent seasons at the Etihad.
However, I have been mightily impressed with his early showings in royal blue, and I am prepared to eat my words if he is able to continue this vein of form.
For £8.5million, Delph was always going to be a low risk signing, with potential for high reward, and so far it is looking like we are getting to see the best of the midfielder.
With Gana gone, Gbamin injured and Schneiderlin shaky at best, Delph has a real opportunity to stake his claim in the next month or so and I really hope he can do so, because his performances so far have been fantastic.
