(Credit: Imago)

Jacob Raw

Thu 28 May 2026 13:10, UK

Everton won’t have to break the bank to sign OH Leuven’s Roggerio Nyakossi this summer.

The Toffees were first linked with the Swiss international at the back end of March, and seem to be stepping up their hopes of landing the defender.

Nyakossi is a centre-back for Belgian side Leuven and has been attracting interest from Everton and other English club’s.

According to The News, the Blues are still interested in the 22-year-old, who held talks over a potential deal to join Portsmouth last summer, in a deal worth £1.5million that eventually broke down.

Now, Everton would only need to pay £7m for Nyakossi, a price that OH Leuven have placed on his head, with the Premier League looking a potential destination for the young starlet now.

Roggerio Nyakossi’s value puts one team out race amid Everton links

Nyakossi is on Everton’s summer shortlist for options to add to their defensive backline, as his club OH Leuven looks braced for offers, regardless if that’s the Toffees making a bid or not.

Portsmouth were in for him, but his now £7m-rated value puts John Mousinho’s side all but out of the race for his signature.

Nyakossi has all the ability of a modern-day centre-half that can play in the Premier League, with elite ball-playing skills, as seen with his 90 per cent passing accuracy in the Belgian Pro League this term.

The young defender has admirers at Ipswich Town, as well as a quarter of Bundesliga clubs, so it will be a task for the Toffees to sign him.

Everton are also keen on signing West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the news around Nyakossi suggesting the Toffees could have a new-look backline next campaign.

However, it’s clear that the Blues have a fight on their hands to sign the Switzerland U21 star, as his value is certainly in reach.

What does this mean for Everton’s current centre-back options?

Everton are hoping for the return of Jarrad Branthwaite in time for pre-season, with his partnership with James Tarkowski sorely missed at Hill Dickinson.

Michael Keane had been holding his own, but leaks started to show in the final few games of the season, where he was part of the problem as to why the Blues blew the chance of qualifying for Europe.

Nyakossi could be seen as an upgrade on Keane, who, like Tarkowski, is ageing and needs replacing at some stage.

Marseille sold Nyakossi to Leuven in 2025, and hold a buy-back clause in the region of £5m, which could be the biggest stumbling block for Everton.

Nothing has advanced as of yet, but it’s certainly one transfer story that has legs.

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