Everton explore January transfer for Shakhtar Donetsk international defender Mykola Matviyenko
Everton are after Shakhtar Donestk’s Ukrainian international defender Mykola Matviyenko and a deal is being explored for January, according to TEAMtalk.
The outlet reported via their website on 26 September that the 27-year-old’s camp are also looking at options for the winter window amid interest from England.
Premier League rivals West Ham, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United are credited with interest in the 59-cap international, who has spent his whole career at the displaced Ukrainian giants so far outside of two loan spells.
Matviyenko can play at either centre-back or left-back and currently has a contract that runs until 2027, but appears set to move.
Forward planning
Everton would seem to need help at left-back more than in the centre but versatility is something that all manager’s tend to value.
While James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite look to have cemented themselves as the starting options in the middle, with Ben Godfrey potentially having overtaken Michael Keane as well now, there has been a lot more uncertainty at full-back.
The Toffees already have a Ukrainian international left-back in Vitalii Mykolenko but it has been suggested that Sean Dyche doesn’t trust him, having preferred Ashley Young for the first four Premier League games of the season.
That he has now seen fit to bring him into the line up for the past two games, which includes the first win of the season over Brentford, suggests he may be changing his opinion, but the Everton boss has largely seemed ambivalent to both Mykolenko on the left and Nathan Patterson on the right in his time at the club.
A veteran presence in Matviyenko is likely more what Dyche prefers so if there is a deal to be done then he could be an option in the New Year, with the Shakhtar man also having extensive European experience.
But there will surely be questions financially unless the landscape changes significantly with a possible takeover by 777 Partners by January.
The club are thought to have only paid Arnaut Danjuma’s loan fee from the summer business so far, so whether Matviyenko would be affordable is potentially a doubt.
In other Everton news, a £400m-plus development has emerged around the Toffees owner amid the takeover process.