Everton latest player links to Newcastle defender Jamaal Lacelles

With the final Premier League fixtures about to be played this weekend and the transfer window soon opening, stories about potential signings for Everton are of course hotting up.

The latest that involve Everton are linking the Blues with a move for Newcastle United centre half Jamaal Lascelles.

The Mirror are reporting that Everton will look to the Magpies defender as a possible new long-term partner for Michael Keane at the heart of the Blues defence.

Lascelles has been a mainstay of the Newcastle team this season, when he’s not been injured and has been spoken about for an England call-up too.

The Magpies captain is considered one of the most promising young centre-backs in the Premier League.

According to Whoscored.com Lascelles strengths are his ability in the air and his passing. He doesn’t though rate highly in his tackling, surely a key part of any defender’s play!?

Lascelles does also chip in with a few goals always a useful attribute for any player regardless of position.

Everton do certainly need more competition at centre-back as Keane’s current defensive partner Phil Jagielka isn’t a long-term option. And although Ramero Funes-Mori has finally recovered from injury, he’s not yet convinced he can be the answer there.

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There’s also Mason Holgate, a player I’ve championed several times before on this site. I think he is a talented and promising young defender whose best position is centre-half.

He is also a versatile player and can play right-back as well as he’s very comfortable on the ball. This can be a blessing and a curse for these types of footballers.

Too often they are shuffled around from position to position to fill-in when another player is injured or suspended. They never get to settle in one position and learn and develop their game there.

I hope this doesn’t happen to Holgate. His passing ability makes him ideally suited for a modern central defender where possession of the ball is so important.

It seems unlikely that Newcastle would consider selling one of their best players to a mid-table rival, which is what Everton are at the moment.

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Also if they did consider it it’s certain that manager Rafael Benitez would object and Newcastle can’t afford to alienate him.

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