Everton scout Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira this week, Liverpool, West Ham United, Newcastle and Tottenham interested
Everton are interested in signing Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira alongside West Ham, Newcastle, Tottenham and Merseyside rivals Liverpool, according to 90min.
The 29-year-old has had a “phenomenal campaign” for the Germans, as they currently sit third in the Bundesliga, level on goal-difference with Bayern Munich going into their clash on Sunday (26 February), with both sides three points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund having played a game fewer.
Union also overcame Ajax in the knock-out round play-off of the Europa League, winning 3-1 on Thursday (23 February) with Khedira captaining the side and putting in a “top” performance.
It was that game which 90min reports was watched by Toffees scouts, joined by representatives from a number of other Premier League sides, also including Wolves and Leicester City.
Khedira’s contract currently expires at the end of the campaign, although Union want to keep him with Champions League football looking likely for next season.
Everton have also been heavily linked to his teammate Sheraldo Becker, reported as one of two sides who could have bid for the forward in January [Christian Falk, 3 February], who may also be on the move in the summer.
Wanted
It goes without saying that priority number one if the Toffees are going to have any hope of winning such a crowded race for a player like Khedira is Premier League survival.
Unless Sean Dyche can stage a sizeable climb up the table over the remaining months of the season it seems a stretch that the younger brother of World Cup winner Sami would give up Champions League football in Berlin for Goodison Park without a sizeable pay rise.
If all of the other named sides choose to make a move for him then all will also have Premier League money behind them and Newcastle may be able to offer a place in Europe’s top competition as well.
But Jordan Pickford’s new contract and Amadou Onana’s refusal to consider an exit to Chelsea in January show that for some there is a pull to Everton, until it comes to forwards at least.
Midfield looks fairly well stocked at this stage, but Idrissa Gana Gueye is 33 and won’t start every game for too many more years, while Tom Davies at least is likely to leave.
Absent a new contract so will Abdoulaye Doucoure, although he has become a key part of Dyche’s side, but James Garner is still to come back from injury.
Khedira has been at the heart of a hugely-impressive season from the German side, so on a potential free transfer he is bound to attract a lot of interest, but the Toffees are going to have a job to do to push past other suitors and look to have greater needs in the summer.