Imagine him and DCL: Everton surely fuming over record-breaking £16.2m-rated "animal" - opinion

Everton have struggled to score this season, with strikers Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Salomon Rondon netting just eight league goals between them – a disappointing return for a trio worth a combined £93.6m according to Transfermarkt.

The Goodison Park faithful have been crying out for one of their strikers to take responsibility upon themselves and become more clinical in front of goal, with the team lingering just above the relegation zone and Championship football next season a real possibility.

One player they most likely won’t face next year in the event of relegation is Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has just broken the record for goals scored in a single Championship season with 14 games still to go, as his club Fulham look like they will be heading back to the Premier League for next season.

However, the clinical Serbian may not have had the chance to break the record, had Everton followed through with their interest in him back in 2019 and completed a transfer, but now there is no chance of such a deal happening for the £16.2m-rated striker.

The idea of a partnership between him and Calvert-Lewin would surely leave Toffees fans drooling due to the 27-year-old’s exceptional development as a player and recent form, earning the highest average match rating in the second tier this season so far with 7.71.

With 35 goals in 33 Championship games, the striker has also missed 18 big chances, which shows how often he gets into good positions and creates space for himself. He has also demonstrated a creative side to his game, contributing seven assists during the campaign and making one key pass per match.

Mitrovic, who was branded an “animal” by his former Fulham boss Scott Parker, has also put any concerns over his