View: Ancelotti eyes move for Sagnan but there are more pressing issues this January
Everton have turned their attention to Real Sociedad centre-back Modibo Sagnan, according to MSN France.
The Blues allowed Jarrad Branthwaite to join Blackburn Rovers on a short-term loan deal earlier this month, and according to MSN France, the club are now considering signing Sagnan to bolster their defensive options.
Sagnan has made 13 appearances for the Spanish outfit this season, three of which have come on the continental stage in the Europa League.
Despite Branthwaite having temporarily departed the club this past week, it doesn’t make much sense for Everton to be pursuing centre-back targets unless further departures are expected.
MSN France named Branthwaite as Everton’s fourth centre-back in their report, however in actual fact he was further down the pecking order than that, with Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey currently in the rotation.
If Everton do indeed wish to bring in another centre-half this month it would only further congest options in that position, and we can’t see us letting any of the four aforementioned players leave.
Even if the club were to let one of the four first-team players leave, Sagnan’s stats hardly suggest that he’s the man to come in and further solidify our backline.
The 21-year old has managed an average of two clearances per game in La Liga this season, with all four of Everton’s centre-backs ranking higher, while Sagnan’s 0.5 interceptions per game is also considerably lower than Everton’s current options.
With less blocks per game (0.2) and more fouls given away (1.2 per game), Everton would be better off moving onto other targets in more pressing areas.
Everton are particularly lacking in options up front, out wide and in the centre of midfield, while a long-term right-back should also be of interest, and as such it would make more sense for us to spend money strengthening one of those areas instead.
In other news, Everton have fallen behind Parma in their pursuit of Bayern Munich forward Joshua Zirkzee.