French international forward Valerie Gauvin is one of the new signings at Everton this summer looking to help fill the void left by Chloe Kelly’s departure earlier this summer.
The 22-year-old opted against extending her contract at Walton Hall Park and has since joined Manchester City.
Less than two months after Kelly’s departure, Everton raised eyebrows with the impressive addition of forward Valerie Gauvin, a player who represented the French national side at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. We have taken a look at the statistics of both players as we assess the chances of Gauvin playing a significant part in replacing Kelly at Everton this season.
Last season saw Kelly make 12 starts for Everton in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, netting nine goals, an average of 0.75 goals-per-game. In comparison, Gauvin started nine of Montpellier’s 16 league games and was introduced from the bench on four occasions. She found the back of the net eight times, resulting in a slightly lower goals-per-game average than Kelly of 0.62 goals-per-game, however, she scored a goal every 105.25 minutes of league football while Kelly managed a goal every 118.44 minutes. The England star scored one hat-trick and one brace whereas all eight of Gauvin’s goals came in different matches.
In each of her last six seasons, Gauvin has scored six or more goals with her record being in 2017/2018 when she hit 12. Last season saw Kelly register her career best while it was the first campaign in which she netted more than three goals.
In terms of assists, neither player was particularly effective last season with Kelly providing one assist and Gauvin registering none. The French international was more disciplined than Kelly though, going all season without picking up a card while the latter collected two bookings.
After several consistent seasons in the French Division 1 Feminine, Gauvin will now test herself in what is now quite possibly the best league in the world in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. She is an experienced player who has regularly hit the goal trail in recent years and is more than capable of making her mark for latest club Everton.