View: Everton interest in Caio Henrique will ring alarm bells for Vitaliy Mykolenko
According to Brazilian outlet iG Esporte, Everton are keen on bringing Monaco full-back Caio Henrique to Goodison Park – a move that should worry Vitaliy Mykolenko.
With just three games remaining until the World Cup break comes into effect, Frank Lampard will already be planning his January transfer activity with the board.
Henrique is a name that appears to be on his shopping list, with the report claiming that Everton are battling it out with Brighton for his signature.
The Brazilian defender is the epitome of a modern full-back – he boasts incredible technical ability, is comfortable on the ball and is a reliable creator going forward.
Henrique racked up an impressive 13 assists in all competitions last season and has started the 2022/23 season even better with five assists in his first 10 Ligue Un appearances.
With attacking output like that it’s easy to see why he’s attracting attention from the Premier League, and Lampard clearly sees him as an upgrade to his current Everton squad.
Mykolenko has been Everton’s first-choice left-back this season, with the 23-year-old Ukrainian playing a big part in a Toffees defence that has conceded just 12 goals in 13 games.
Ruben Vinagre was brought in on loan to provide competition for Mykolenko but Lampard doesn’t seem to rate the Portuguese wing-back too highly.
But Henrique’s arrival would do more than provide competition for Mykolenko – it would replace him entirely. The 25-year-old Monaco star is a ready-made star that will demand first-team football should he sign.
It would add some great depth and quality to the squad, but from Mykolenko’s perspective, he’ll be worried about his spot in the starting XI.
But that also gives Lampard a great chance to witness Mykolenko’s reaction. With five games remaining until the transfer window opens, he has a chance to impress Lampard and make him think twice about swapping him out for Henrique.