Everton Eye Roma’s Injury-Hit Ukrainian Striker: Is A Box-Poacher The Answer To Moyes’ Goal Drought? | OneFootball

Everton could be poised to reignite their interest in Artem Dovbyk, with Italian outlet SoloLaRoma reporting that the Ukrainian forward is expected to leave Roma at the end of the season. The 28-year-old returned from a five-month thigh injury last weekend, coming off the bench in Roma’s 2-0 derby win over Lazio, his first appearance since early January.

Everton on alert as Roma prepare to cash in on Dovbyk this summer

He hit the post and caught the eye despite a short cameo, and Sport Witness covered how the shared Friedkin Group ownership between Roma and Everton makes this transfer path a smoother one. Gasperini, who has never truly rated Dovbyk, now has Donyell Malen leading his attack, meaning the Ukrainian is firmly out of the picture.

His final Roma appearance is expected to come next weekend against Hellas Verona, where the Giallorossi fight for a Champions League place. Roma want a serious offer and need to get Dovbyk’s salary off the books to balance the scales for UEFA’s financial fair play deadline at the end of June. Corriere dello Sport previously reported that Roma would sanction a deal for around €20 million.

Is a penalty-area predator actually what David Moyes needs at Everton?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Artem Dovbyk of AS Roma during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and AS Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Probably not on his own, but Everton’s desperate need for firepower is glaring. Everton scored only 46 Premier League goals in 2025/26, a dismal return for a side trying to climb the table. Moyes builds teams on defensive discipline and direct pressing, whereas Dovbyk’s game centres almost entirely on penalty-area finishing.

His recovery rate of 1.17 per 90 this season ranks him in the bottom five per cent of Serie A strikers, and he rarely gets involved in the build-up. Yet Moyes is exactly the kind of manager who can sharpen a forward’s output by simplifying their role, feeding a big, left-footed target man with early crosses and set-pieces. Dovbyk’s proven Girona form, where he registered 35 goal involvements in 41 games, shows his ceiling. Everton should move quickly.