Everton transfer round-up: Is Mangala the solution at left-back?

Everton signed Eliaquim Mangala on loan from Manchester City in the early hours of Thursday morning. Several players, including Ademola Lookman, have left on loan.

Before the January transfer window, Everton manager Sam Allardyce remarked that three new signings would be good business for the Blues. According to the Liverpool Echo, Allardyce stated a trio of players “would give us a chance to sustain our position and maybe touch on doing better than where we are.”

Overall then, Everton have done a decent job. Three acquisitions have been made, all of which look ready to play in the first team. Moreover, key positions that needed new blood prior to January have been filled successfully. We now have a decent left-back, and on paper, a decent striker.

It hasn’t all been cheers in the past few days though. The Blues sanctioned some strange loan moves, with three first team players departing on a temporary basis. More details on all of this below.

Eliaquim Mangala arrives

Subject to clearance, Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala will play for Everton on loan for the remainder of the season. The lanky French defender can fill in across the back four, and should slot in at left-back. Mangala played mainly as a centre half for the Citizens, but he is crucially a left-footed player.

There’s a lot to like about this signing. Mangala has fallen from grace somewhat since arriving for Man City in 2014 as the Premier League’s then most expensive defender. Still, the 26-year-old enjoyed a solid loan spell at Valencia last year, and has played 79 times for City over the past four seasons. The Blues are signing a player with serious experience.

To maximise the utility of this signing, Allardyce must play Mangala at full-back. It would be a bad move to add the Frenchman to the centre-back pecking order, and risk pushing younger players such as Mason Holgate and Moorgan Feeney further down the depth chart.

According to HITC, Mangala was Everton’s second choice in the transfer window, after a deal for Lille defender Adama Suomaro fell through. Last week, we reported Suomaro as a potential signing at the back, as well as Charlton youngster Ezri Konsa. Both these players have stayed at their current clubs.

Lookman, Sandro and Besic depart on loan

It’s fair to say Everton have a bloated squad. This isn’t the fault of the current manager. Rather, a succession of changes in the dugout, and poor transfer policy have lead to a real mishmash of players under contract. It was always likely a few would be dispersed in January.

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For the most part, these deals made sense. Mohamed Besic, who will play with Middlesborough for the remainder of the season, has only played two Premier League games for the Blues in as many seasons. Hopefully, he can impress in the Championship.

By the same token, Sandro Ramirez, who has left for Sevilla, urgently needs a change of scenery. The Spanish striker has flopped on Merseyside, and is now below Oumar Niasse, Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the depth chart up front.

From a team point of view, a Premier League loan move would have been ideal for Sandro, so that he could acclimatise to English football. Having said that, the Daily Mail reported the player was desperate to leave permanently. Sevilla could well be this opening.

The only truly worrying loan was that of Ademola Lookman to RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. Lookman has shown promise this season, and should have been kept in the first-team squad. As of yet, there is no news on whether this loan has been made with a view to a permanent deal.

Next: Lennon leaves Everton for Burnley

Now over to you. What do you think of Everton’s transfer dealings? Are you happy that Lookman has left on loan? Share your thoughts below.