Niels Nkounkou hints at Everton summer departure amid Saint-Etienne transfer interest
Everton defender Niels Nkounkou has hinted he is likely to leave the club this summer as he wishes to finally settle down after years of uncertainty at Goodison Park.
The 22-year-old full-back is on his third temporary loan spell away from Merseyside since last donning the Toffees top and has enjoyed a superb individual campaign in Ligue 2, registering six goals and six assists from 15 games.
Journalist Ignazio Genuardi revealed on 5 May that Saint-Etienne had begun discussions to make his loan permanent this summer after French media outlet FootSur 7 also revealed on 6 April that the 22-year-old is in demand and is drawing interest from elite clubs all over Europe.
And speaking to Ligue 2 [10 May], as the season draws to a close, Nkounkou admits he is desperate to find stability elsewhere as the uncertainty surrounding his future isn’t helping himself or his family.
He said: “I would like to fix myself in a project, not to find myself in uncertainty every summer, without knowing where I will do the season.
“I would like to find stability somewhere. In recent years, I’ve moved a lot, I’ve scattered a bit, and now I want to settle down.
“When you know that at the end of the season, you will surely no longer be there, that you will return to a club where you do not know if you will be able to stay even if you fight, it makes you think.
“It’s not always easy to live with, whether for me or for my loved ones, who follow me every time.”
Deserves evaluation
It’s no secret that Nkoukou is enjoying the campaign of his career in Saint-Etienne colours, registering six goals and six assists in 15 games – an incredible number for a defender of his age.
And it’s no wonder why the French outfit are desperate to keep him beyond this summer.
Every footballer certainly wants to feel wanted, loved and a big part of a sporting project, hence Nkounkou’s desire for stability and given the demand for his signature, a move away from Goodison Park looks like a real possibility.
All of that depends on Everton though, and given Nkounkou’s terrific form and development all campaign, the Toffees will certainly want to evaluate him again this summer.
There is simply no need to make any rash decisions regarding his future just yet as the defender is still just 22 with plenty of room to grow and blossom even further.
Everton could certainly do with another left-back too, with Vitalii Mykolenko their only real viable option in the position. Nkounkou has shown at Saint-Etienne that he’s got what it takes to cut it at the top level, and maybe Everton shouldn’t give up on him just yet.