Ex-Everton forward Bent claims club won’t buy centre-back this summer
Former Everton forward Marcus Bent has revealed that the club won’t be pursuing another centre-back when the summer transfer window opens.
The Blues have been linked with a host of central defenders over the past few months, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Merih Demiral most prominently rumoured to be targets.
Carlo Ancelotti recently dismissed the prospect of signing a centre-back in the summer, however speculation has continued to mount regarding movement in the transfer market.
However Bent has now further thrown talk of a new centre-back into question, exclusively telling This Is Futbol that the club aren’t considering strengthening that position.
Bent said: “I don’t think so.
“I spoke to someone at the club during the week, and they’re not talking about getting a centre-half.
“They said they’ve got depth in the squad and they’re not going to be buying anyone in the transfer window.”
Sounds about right
It makes all the sense in the world that Everton would not explore signing a centre-back this summer.
Not only has Ancelotti already explicitly spelled out his desire to avoid strengthening that position, what with the club’s current depth, but a central defender would also place far down the priority list.
Everton currently have Mason Holgate, Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina to rotate, while Jarrad Branthwaite is coming through as a promising talent on the cusp of the first-team.
If the Blues were to sell one of their primary quartet then the transfer market could be explored, but as of now we have yet to see whether there is any serious interest in any of those players.
Everton need to target a right-back, and right sided midfielder, a supporting forward and a central midfielder, as well as a back-up goalkeeper if Robin Olsen doesn’t stay, before they consider looking in the centre of defence.
So we agree with Bent, because it just doesn’t seem like a viable move.
In other Everton news, the Toffees want to sign a Ligue 1 midfielder who is admired by a former Everton star.
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