Everton ready to fight Manchester United for number-one defensive target – ESPN
Everton have been interested in Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes for a number of weeks now.
Unfortunately for them, it isn’t going to be straightforward to secure the services of the Brazilian enforcer.
ESPN have reported that Manchester United are also interested in the 22-year-old, but that Everton are ready to fight their Premier League rivals to sign the defender.
The online outlet has reported on their website that Carlo Ancelotti is prioritising defensive reinforcements in the summer after Jarrad Branthwaite was forced to feature in the final month of the Premier League.
It is suggested that Magalhaes has quickly become Everton’s main target at Goodison Park, with Lille destined to lose one of their prized assets.
According to the report, the French club are ready to sell if they receive an offer of anywhere near £25million.
Marcel Brands has been tasked with signing a central defender as well as another right-back this summer, and this would tick off the first of those.
That is after the club lost both Leighton Baines and Djibril Sidibe at the end of last season. At left-back, the Toffees have made an offer for Real Madrid’s Sergio Reguilon.
With all those reports, Everton could be in the market for a minimum of three defenders as they look to improve on last season’s 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.
In other Everton news, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has admitted to roughing up this one Toffees talent in training