Robin Olsen: Things to Know About Swedish Goalkeeper
Everton fans had a superb summer transfer window. Like, really, really good.
But despite all their optimism after the start to the season they'd had, one teeny-tiny issue remained: the goalkeeper.
This small problem (small like Jordan Pickford's arms) was actually a rather massive problem (massive...not like Jordan Pickford's arms), but was seen to on the final day of the window with the loan capture of Robin Olsen.
A left-field signing that took most by surprise - but shouldn't have because Pickford is rubbish - will offer competition in an area they're sorely lacking in. But who is the Swedish goalkeeper? Let's take a look.
He's 11 Centimetres Taller Than Pickford
Everyone wants to know this. Pickford, height-wise, isn't very small, but with someone who is four inches taller than him, we can be quietly confident that his arms are indeed longer.
Infamous for his inability to not get close to a shot that isn't straight at him, those fears can be allayed with the new taller stopper.
Olsen Shares the Same Hometown as Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Hailing from the southern Swedish city of Malmö, he featured in the same youth sides as the evergreen forward for over three years.
They would meet as opponents further down the line as recently as last season, when Olsen's loan club Cagliari faced AC Milan. Zlatan obviously scored against him in a 2-0 win.
Olsen was on loan at the club from Roma, who Everton have signed him from.
His Agent Represents Some Big Names
Retired former Swedish footballer Hasan Cetinkaya is Olsen's agent, someone who boasts some well-known clientele across Europe.
In the Premier League he represents Manchester United's Victor Lindelof, while over in Spain he boasts two members of Barcelona's squad. Frenkie de Jong and Martin Braithwaite are both players he represents - the former of whom joined La Blaugrana on a hefty £65m deal.
Whatever he's doing seems to work, since he managed to get Braithwaite to a point in his career where he rocks the number nine shirt at Camp Nou.
Number one at Goodison Park incoming?
He Shot to Fame During the 2018 World Cup
You know that flavour of the month thing? Yeah, that came about after Olsen put in five solid displays for Sweden at the 2018 World Cup. Taking up the number one slot after Andreas Isaksson's retirement, he started in all of his nation's clashes in the tournament, making a series of impressive saves along the way.
Olsen kept two clean sheets during the group stages, with the only goals he conceded coming against reigning world champions Germany during a 2-1 loss.
In the round of 16 he kept another clean sheet when Sweden beat Switzerland 1-0, but his side crashed out in the quarter-final stage at the hands of England, who had the then-capable hands of Pickford to call upon.
Is He Actually Good?
This is the part Toffees fans won't want to hear, but the fact is that Olsen's addition on deadline day screams of panic buy.
In desperate need of someone, anyone, to offer competition for Pickford, a few names were being flung about in hope of doing just that. Jasper Cillessen's name was mentioned but nothing ever materialised, and Olsen became the eventual choice.
Playing for Roma you would expect big things, but he was very much the flavour of the moment when he joined from Copenhagen in 2018. He played 35 times in the 2018/19 season before the club realised he wasn't very good, and a loan to Cagliari followed.