There was little fuss when Dominic Calvert-Lewin left Everton as a free agent in the summer after scoring just three goals in his final season. When he joined Leeds United, few predicted the resurgence that followed.

The striker, who has scored eight goals in his last 10 games, will face his former club for the first time since leaving the club on Monday Night Football, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Only once in the Premier League has he scored more than this number. A recall is imminent in England.

Calvert-Lewin is a strong candidate for this season’s comeback story. The 28-year-old’s career had stalled after nine injury-plagued years on Merseyside, but Leeds were willing to take a risk on him as a number nine after securing promotion.

“I’m quite picky about the strikers and the qualities I look for,” Leeds head coach Daniel Farke told Sky Sports about the club’s summer recruitment efforts ahead of Monday’s game against Everton.

“You can imagine every day whatever striker is offered.” [to us]. But I made it clear pretty early on that if I had the chance to sign Dominic, I would sign him. Because I’ve always been a big fan of his.

“For me, he is one of the best English strikers in this league and there was no doubt about his quality.”

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In a summer that saw Hugo Ekitike, Victor Gokeres and Benjamin Sesco signed for huge sums, free agent Calvert-Lewin surpassed them all after 22 Premier League matches.

If Leeds continue to improve with his goals, he also has a chance of being signed for this season. They head to Everton five points clear of the relegation zone.

The change in circumstances was transformative for Calvert-Lewin. “He was ready for a new challenge,” Leeds defender James Justin told Sky Sports, likening his situation to his own at Leicester. “We had been at the same club for a while so we wanted something fresh.”

Justin joined Leeds 10 days after Calvert-Lewin, after six years at Leicester ended in relegation from the Championship. Like Calvert-Lewin, his career stagnated, but there was little upset when he left. The pair are now feeling the love at Elland Road.

“I’m so glad he found a new home where he values ​​himself,” Justin added. “He’s been super professional this season, taking care of his body, eating the right things and recovering well.

“He’s always trying to improve himself. I think that’s why the goals are coming. He’s full of confidence now.”

Justin believes he fully deserves a recall in England. “Absolutely. If he keeps going, there’s only one way to go. He’s a different option to what England already have.”

Farke said England manager Thomas Tuchel, a close friend from his time at Dortmund, had his phone number but would not reveal whether he had previously been contacted about the striker.

Calvert-Lewin has been more candid about the phone call he had with Falke before joining Leeds. The striker was surprised by the belief his new boss showed in him. I needed to put an arm around my shoulders.

“I can’t say I’ve had many conversations like that with the managers,” the striker told Sky Sports earlier this season. Falke’s humanity and desire to understand why things went wrong struck a chord with Calvert-Lewin.

Falke, who was a centre-forward in his playing days, empathizes with Calvert-Lewin and understands how to get the best out of him. It was clear what the player needed.

Falke, who spent most of his career in the German lower leagues at Lippstadt, was by his own calculations “probably the slowest striker in all of Western Europe”, but he knew where the goal was. He has something in common with Calvert-Lewin.

“I have a soft spot for this type of player, so sometimes a conversation here and there helps,” Falke says.

“I don’t need to explain to Dominic how to score goals or what he has to do in front of goal, because he has done it all his career, even at a better level than me.

“But maybe it’s like he knows he has a manager who knows exactly how he feels and what he needs. Maybe this helps a little bit, but all the credit goes to Dominic.”

Falke’s humility belies his track record of reviving the careers of struggling strikers. Calvert-Lewin is not shy about crediting his coach for his role in getting back to form. Ask Marcus Thuram or Teemu Pukki and they will tell you the same thing.

The Leeds manager was more candid about his influence when asked about past successes.

“Marcus Thuram is more of a winger and I didn’t know if he could play as a striker. I played him as a striker for Borussia Mönchengladbach, then he played in the World Cup final for France and now he’s playing for Inter Milan and he’s probably valued at £100m.”

“The same thing happened with Teemu Pukki, who came to Norwich on a free transfer. He didn’t have the best time at Celtic. Everyone doubted him, but he was great and won the Golden Boot in the Championship. [got into] That’s double figures at Premier League level.

“I was in a similar situation at a small club in Germany that I used to play for. There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m especially weak against strikers.”

Calvert-Lewin’s first 10 Premier League games for Leeds were in stark contrast to his last 10. Falke’s patience was being tested, but he remained steadfast in his belief that he would do well.

Leeds’ No.9 made a hell of a debut in the Carabao Cup against Sheffield Wednesday, missing three big chances in stoppage time and whiffing a penalty over the bar in a penalty shootout defeat as the Premier League side were eliminated in the second round.

Calvert-Lewin scored once in his first 10 games, but missed all six clear-cut chances. Only three of the division’s top four scorers at the time, Erling Haaland, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Igor Thiago, were more wasteful.

“Sometimes as a striker it’s difficult to take chances and sometimes you just have to look at the ball and it goes in,” Farke said of Calvert-Lewin’s slow start.

“I’ve never had any doubts about his beliefs.” [in himself] And with his skill, I always believed that he would find himself scoring again. ”

As with his team’s season, everything changed at half-time for Man City. Calvert-Lewin ended a seven-game drought in front of goal, scoring six goals in five games. You know how the song goes. This figure was even higher as his goals helped Leeds move out of the bottom three.

The change in formation to 3-5-2 coincided with the striker’s return to scoring form. Leeds became more direct and Calvert-Lewin developed with his strike partner. But even as its shape evolved and adapted over the next few weeks, one thing remained the same: its shape. That’s Calvert-Lewin’s goal.

It’s been six years since he last scored like this, a distant memory for Everton fans. But when Calvert-Lewin returns on Monday night, there won’t be any desire to take a trip down memory lane.

Watch Everton vs Leeds United live on Sky Sports from 6.30pm on Monday Night Football. Kickoff at 8pm.