Farhad Moshiri has been blasted as Everton's takeover saga rolls on

Saikat Mandal

Thu 27 January 2022 23:10, UK

If the widespread reports are true, Everton could appoint a manager within this month, which means the potential new manager will get at least 24-48 hrs to buy some players.

It seems the club is already preparing the groundwork, with signing a defender before the transfer deadline could be on the cards.

According to reports from Teamtalk, Everton have joined Leeds United and Newcastle to sign Blackburn Rovers skipper Darragh Lenihan this month.

Now, for a moment, ignore Newcastle. They have been linked with hundreds of players this month, but one could get the vibe they are aiming for big deal transfers, a la Diego Carlos.

It’s Leeds who could be a real threat for Everton in the race.

The Whites are short of options at the back with the club missing their skipper Liam Cooper through injury till March.

Everton are apparently choc-a-bloc in the centre-back areas, but there are problems. Yerry Mina is injury prone while Mason Holgate has really struggled this season.

Tony Mowbray, the Rovers boss, hailed Darragh last month (18 December) as a “special” footballer and the club could be reluctant to lose him as they chase automatic promotion to the Premier League.

While there’s no reason why Lenihan needs to Ewood Park this month, the lure of moving to the Premier League could be too tempting to reject outright.

Moreover, he will be a free agent in the summer and Everton should look to exploit that.

The 27-year-old has made 26 appearances where he scored two goals so far. He was one of the stand out players in the 4-0 win against Peterborough, while enjoyed his best game in the 4-0 win against Birmingham City in December.

He has been a figure of consistency producing stellar performances against Boro, Cardiff, Preston, Bournemouth and Barnsley in recent games.

He would be a smart addition for the club, but it all depends on how quickly the Toffees can get a manager on board.

In other Everton news, Premier League club ‘would appeal to’ Everton star, bid expected in Jan – report