Everton Eye £22m Striker As Moyes Faces Major Call: Should They Choose Him Over Mauro Icardi?

Everton Eye £22m Striker As Moyes Faces Major Call: Should They Choose Him Over Mauro Icardi? Everton have started the 2026/27 campaign with belief under David Moyes, yet their striker situation could become a serious problem. Beto has left, while the proposed £40m move for Folarin Balogun collapsed on deadline day, leaving 23-year-old Thierno Barry as the only senior centre-forward. That shortage makes the next recruitment call significant. Football FanCast has suggested Conrad Harder as an alternative to the more immediate option of Mauro Icardi, with the 21-year-old Danish striker currently at Strasbourg on loan from RB Leipzig. Harder offers a different proposition. Everton transfer: Why Conrad Harder makes sense Harder would require patience, but his profile gives Moyes much to work with. The young Dane has the height, aerial ability and a willingness to compete for balls into the box, qualities that can suit a side built around direct service and physical battles. His spell at RB Leipzig produced limited starts, yet his efficiency in those minutes reportedly compared favourably with Richarlison. That statistic doesn’t guarantee Premier League success, but it gives Everton a reason to investigate. A reported £22m valuation would make Harder a sizeable investment, especially for a club entering the season with limited centre-forward cover. Still, his age changes the calculation. Everton could potentially gain a long-term starter rather than another temporary solution, while Harder could develop with regular Premier League football. There is a catch. He has only just joined Strasbourg for the 2026/27 season, so any January approach would depend on Leipzig, Strasbourg and the player agreeing to a move. That could make the operation awkward, and Everton cannot afford to ignore the immediate demands of the campaign. Should Everton choose Harder over Icardi? LEIPZIG, GERMANY – APRIL 24: Conrad Harder of RB Leipzig in action during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin at Red Bull Arena on April 24, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) For me, Everton should favour Harder if the club can secure sensible terms and a workable January deal. Icardi would offer greater certainty in front of goal, and his experience could help Moyes immediately, but a short-term signing would solve today’s immediate problem without necessarily improving the squad beyond this season. Harder is more risky. At 21, he could need time, adaptation and consistent service before producing regularly in England. Yet Everton need more than a body to cover Barry. They need a striker who can become part of the next version of Moyes’ side. Icardi makes sense if Barry suffers an injury or the top-seven push starts slipping. Otherwise, £22m on Harder represents the bolder call overall, provided Everton accept that his impact may not arrive instantly.