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View: Everton must forget Demiral as other positions take priority
Despite Carlo Ancelotti indicating last month that Everton wouldn’t consider signing a centre-back this summer, transfer talk just doesn’t stop.
Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that last week that the Blues are keen on adding another centre-back this summer, while he also dismissed Juventus defender Merih Demiral as a target.
In spite of this however, the Italian media continues to link Everton with interest in Demiral, with CalcioMercato believing the Toffees to have an advantage with AC Milan having now dropped out of the race – however we just can’t see it.
Whether Everton are interested in Demiral, another named supposed target or someone unknown all-together, ultimately the discussion will come down to which player would have to leave to accommodate a defensive signing.
Michael Keane, Mason Holgate, Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina all have their individual strengths, with each of the centre-backs offering something unique to Everton and the way that the club play.
Should Ancelotti want to sign the defender dubbed a “natural leader” and compared to former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic, they would first need to sell a centre-back, and none of the four immediately springs to mind.
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Godfrey has arguably been Everton’s Player of the Season, Holgate is versatile and younger than both Keane and Mina, the former of whom acts as the club’s leader at the back.
That leaves Mina, who some outlets have pointed to as someone who could leave Goodison Park this summer, but his attributes are also unrivalled. No other Everton defender is nearly as physical and robust as Mina, and that power that he brings to the table proved effective against West Ham last weekend.
Ideally Everton need strengthening across the board, because Ancelotti wants to smash through the glass ceiling that is the top four and he currently doesn’t have the players to do so. However, we’re not sure that signing a centre-back would be the right move.
Whether Farhad Moshiri arms Ancelotti with a war chest this summer or whether the purse strings are much tighter than that, Everton realistically only have so much to work with in the transfer market and far more pressing issues that need remedying.
Each of Everton’s current four centre-backs offer enough quality for the club to get by for the time being, leaving other positions more in need of investment.
Demiral might bring quality to Merseyside and Everton may well have stolen a march in the pursuit of his signature, but they shouldn’t be considering him when they have other priorities.
In other Everton news, Everton have been handed a major boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
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