The North American duo who could lead Everton's line

(Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

There’s been so much going on at and around Everton, it’s hardly been quiet enough to forget about the club for a little while, take a breather and focus on the World Cup.

But the tournament has been going on now for well over a week; at the time of writing, we’re halfway through the group stage. There have been plenty of players catching the eye, and two in particular are starring for the co-hosts.

Jonathan David and Folarin Balogun have come to the fore for Canada and the United States, respectively. And, could both of these players be realistic transfer targets for Everton?

With uncertainty over the future of Thierno Barry, and Beto only having a year left to run on his current deal, Everton may end up being dragged into needing a striker, even if the feeling right now is they would wish to prioritise other areas first.

So, could David or Balogun be the answer to Everton’s long-standing issue up front?

JONATHAN DAVID

David would certainly be a punchier target, and for that reason, potentially more out of reach.

It was only a year ago that David plucked to join Italian giants Juventus from Lille on a free transfer, where he had become one of Europe’s hottest properties.

David joined Lille from Gent in 2020, and went straight into their team as, under Christophe Galtier, Les Dogues won the Ligue 1 title.

He played 48 games in all competitions that season, scoring 13 goals and providing 4 assists.

David played 48 matches again in 2021-22, and this time stepped up to 19 goals, albeit without providing any assists.

In 2022-23, David netted 26 times from 40 games, setting up 4 more goals. In 2023-24, he matched his goal tally (26) and doubled his assist count (8). David’s final season at Lille was his best in terms of goal involvements — he scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 49 appearances.

So, a move to Juventus seemed the next natural step. David had performed well in the Champions League during his time at Lille, and at 25 at the time of his transfer, was just about to head into his prime years.

Yet in 46 games, with 27 of those being starts, David managed just 8 goals and 5 assists. He struggled for form and, from the start of February, only scored 2 goals for Juve.

But, his quality shouldn’t be doubted. He is Canada’s main man, and he has delivered so far.

Sure, Qatar — who were reduced to 9 men — were hardly the best opponents on Matchday 2 for Jesse Marsch’s men, but Canada still needed to get the job done, and they did it in style.

David was at the heart of it, scoring a hat-trick, with two of his goals coming in the first half. It was actually his volley from a corner that resulted in Canada’s opener, with Cyle Larin on hand to tuck home the rebound.

David’s next volley found the target, as the 26-year-old watched the ball loop over his head and sweetly onto his swinging right boot, into the right-hand corner.

Then, it was a poacher’s finish on the stroke of half-time, with David acrobatically poking in on the goal-line. His final goal came in second-half stoppage time, as he brilliantly controlled a wayward shot from a team-mate and, on the spin, slammed beyond the Qatar goalkeeper.

Three very different goals, but all of which showed what David is about. He is a far better footballer than Barry or Beto, but not quite as physical. However, he doesn’t lack for pace and his ability to link the play is a huge bonus.

Sure, he has struggled in Italy, but the evidence is there from his years in France that he is an excellent player, and if Everton were to need a striker, then he’d be a statement of intent.

FOLARIN BALOGUN

Balogun could well have been representing England at this World Cup, but instead the former Arsenal forward elected to play for the USA.

Given he was so young when he first came onto the scene, it feels Balogun, who was born in New York City, has been around for years, but he is only 24, albeit he turns 25 at the start of July.

Like David, then, he is an excellent age bracket, though unlike David, Balogun has experience of English football and would have no issue in settling into the Premier League, or at least you’d like to think so.

Balogun played for England’s youth teams, and it was seen as a coup when the USA convinced him to pledge his international allegiance to the Stars and Stripes.

And though Balogun took a while to get going for the USA, he has begun to come into his own.

Like David, Balogun has been a Ligue 1 regular. He thrived on loan at Reims from Arsenal in 2022-23, scoring 22 goals in a team coached by Will Still.

Monaco then took the punt on signing Balogun permanently, and after struggling to hit his peak form for two seasons, netting just 12 goals across that time, the striker was back at it in 2025-26, scoring 19 goals and providing 4 assists in 23 games in all competitions.

Balogun, like David, is not a powerhouse centre-forward, but he is adept at running in behind and even drifting out wide.

He scored twice and also had a goal ruled out in the USA’s 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12.

His first finish was an excellent first-time effort, side-footed from the centre of the area, but Balogun’s second was a real highlight.

Fed in down the right-hand channel, he shrugged off his marker and then showed great poise and composure to round another defender and curl a sublime finish right into the top-left corner.

Balogun also deserved plenty of credit for the USA’s opener in their 2-0 win over Australia, having driven in from the left flank and drilled a low cross into the six-yard box, with a Socceroos defender turning it in.

It should be noted that Balogun has a habit of underperforming his expected goals. Indeed, only in 2025-26 did he really perform on track compared to his xG (20.3).

However, either of these players would be an upgrade on Everton’s current options, and a different type of forward.

Neither Barry nor Beto did badly in terms of goals, and it should be stressed that Everton were nowhere near up to scratch when it came to creating quality chances.

But if Everton were to have their hands forced and they ended up having to go into the market, then targeting either of them could represent a step in the right direction when it comes to having attackers with real, all-round quality.

Read more - Everton have a tough start to 2026-27 — The Toffees can't afford to be undercooked

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