Everton will do well to fight off competition for Jan Bamert

Everton face a major battle from some of the top teams in Europe, if they are to sign the highly talented Swiss defender, Jan Bamert.

If there was any doubt over how important the youth development is to Everton, this must have surely disappeared by now. Sunday’s report that they have signed the highly rated Lewis Gibson, represented the latest impressive addition to the Under-23s squad, following the summer arrivals of Josh Bowler and Boris Mathis.

However, it seems the Blues still haven’t finished, as they look to put the youngsters in the best possible position to defend their Premier League 2 crown. As per HITC’s Saikat Mandal, Everton have joined the race to sign Swiss youngster Jan Bamert.

Mandal writes that Bamert is a highly rated defender, who plays for Grasshopper Club Zurich. He made his debut for the first team at just 17 and has since gone on to attract the attention of a host of European clubs.

The Toffees’ move for the youngster was first reported by The Sunday People, who included Benfica, Rennes, Torino and Villarreal among other teams interested in him. As such, Everton face a major fight, if they are to be successful in securing his signature.

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At least the money aspect shouldn’t be an issue, with Bamert reportedly available for around £1.6 million. However, there is still the potential question of what he brings to Merseyside?

One of the 19-year-old’s biggest assets is his versatility. While he mostly lines up as a centre-back, he is capable of playing at left back and right back if required.

Bamert has also already had experience at the international level, including six appearances for the Swiss Under-19s team. His next step will be to play for the Under-21s side.

One last factor to consider is Bamert’s current contract, which runs through until December 2020. It will be interesting to see what part this plays in any attempts to prise him away from Grasshopper Club Zurich.

Next: Blues consider Islam Slimani as alternative to Giroud

Now it’s your turn. Are you familiar at all with Bamert? If so, what’s your opinion of him and what do you think he brings to Everton? Let us know in the comments section below.