Everton want to sign Burnley defender Ben Mee for free
Everton are keen to bolster their defence this summer and they have identified Burnley captain Ben Mee as a potential target, according to The Mirror.
The 32-year-old has been at Turf Moor since 2011 when he joined on loan from Manchester City but he wants to keep on playing in the Premier League while the Clarets were relegated on the final day of the 2021-22 season.
Reluctantly, he has decided to leave the Lancashire club when his contract expires at the end of June and the Toffees have sprinted into a joint-lead in the race to secure his signature.
Frank Lampard’s old midfield partner Steven Gerrard is the man who is closest to rivalling Everton with Aston Villa and both clubs have also been linked to Mee’s defensive partner James Tarkowski.
But the Telegraph reported that we have moved ahead in that particular race due to our willingness to offer £90,000 per week to the England international who would also be available on a free transfer.
Connection
The central defensive partnership is the most crucial in any football team, whether that be in the Premier League or Sunday League, and no two players are more used to playing alongside each other than Tarkowski and Mee.
They have helped to make Burnley one of the toughest sides to break down for many years in the top flight and it was only injuries to each of them at times that has seen them go down this time around.
Lampard would be a fool not to try and sign both of them to sort out the defensive woes of Everton once and for all because the two of them together is as formidable a partnership as you’ll find.
An added bonus for the Toffees is that, much like at Burnley with Nick Pope, they should have an England international goalkeeper behind them who is more than capable to bail them out on the rare occasions they can’t prevent an attack.
Pickford would be glad of the solid wall in front of him too after having to be the saviour far too many times towards the end of the season for anybody’s liking.
In other Everton news, Lampard and the club are determined to keep one of their star players and instead might sell others to fund incomings this summer.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook for 24/7 updates on Everton plus more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.