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According to numerous reports, we’re going all out for Everton’s Kevin Mirallas at the moment.

It’s quite obvious that Slaven Bilic is eager to build an quota of attacking quality that has enough strength in depth to cope with playing in four different competitions this season.

One surprise was allowing Stewart Downing to leave the club, though you couldn’t really stand in the way of his wishes to return to his home town and Slaven Bilic admitted as much shortly afterwards.

But some reports appear to believe West Ham are eying Mirallas as a direct replacement for Downing.

I’d go as far to say that Dimitri Payet is more of the man tasked with replacing the former England international next season, while Mirallas would undoubtedly by utilised in a more wide position.

However, Downing’s job out wide during the second half of the season wasn’t exactly flattering and it would appear Bilic has been assessing all his options and potential systems.

If Mirallas is being lined up as a ‘direct’ replacement for Downing, then the below stats down exactly fill you with optimism. Though Downing played more games and was a lethal weapon when played centrally during the first half of the campaign, whereas Mirallas was used sparingly as a wide player for Everton last term.

It’d be silly to read too much in to those stats, but you do wonder what Bilic has planned for Mirallas if we do managed to bring him to the Boleyn Ground this summer, particularly with the arrival of Manuel Lanzini as well…

Downing v Mirallas

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