Will Rennes Star Replace Ashley Williams at Everton?
By Tom Power
Toffees Appear to Have Found Replacement for Veteran Defender Ashley Williams
Everton are ready to make their first venture into the transfer market by bidding for Ramy Bensebaini.
According to the Daily Star, the Toffees have tabled a £13.3m offer for the Rennes defender as they look to bolster their centre-back options.
New manager Marco Silva has made it clear that he wants to bring fresh blood to his senior squad this summer.
And Bensebaini, who plays for Algeria, could end up being his first new arrival as the Portuguese ramps up his transfer business.
Bensebaini is a 23-year-old centre-half who is also capable of filling in at the defensive midfielder role and at left-back.
He joined the Ligue Un club from Algerian side Paradou AC for £1.8m in July 2016 and has gone on to feature 59 times for Rennes in the two seasons that have followed.
Bensebaini has also amassed 12 senior appearances for his national side and scored in the 3-2 defeat to Cape Verde during a friendly encounter at the start of June.
Bensebaini would provide good competition for places at Goodison Park, providing the rumour from the Daily Star is true.
He has youth on his side and would fight it out with Phil Jagielka, Mason Holgate, Michael Keane and Ashley Williams for a starting berth.
The last of that quartet may end up being sold to make room for Bensebaini yet, with the 33-year-old thought to be surplus to requirements on Merseyside.
Everton could, however, face competition from Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart to prise Bensebaini away from France.
The German club also want to lure him away from his current home and the Toffees will have to be aware of a potential bidding war if that’s the case.
Silva and director of football Marcel Brands travelled to London on Tuesday to meet chairman Bill Kenwright to discuss their business in the summer market.
Everton have already let three players go as they look to reduce their bloated 38-man first-team squad.
Silva wants to bring his own men in to galvanise his senior ranks but will also be aware that he must sell to make room for new recruits.
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Bensebaini, alongside other reported target Kieran Tierney, may very well be the first additions if Silva can move more peripheral stars out.