Another centre back linked with Everton
As the dust settles on the £40 million signing of Richarlison, attention moves to other players Everton might be looking at.
As we’ve mentioned several times before one area of the team that needs improvement is central defence. Everton need players to replace the aging Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines. And so the Blues have been linked with a succession of defenders over the past few weeks.
The latest player is Austrian centre-back Martin Hinterregger. The Sun are reporting that the Blues are interested in signing him along with West Ham and Inter Milan who are also in contention for the player.
Hinterregger is playing in the Bundesliga with Augsburg. He has had a fine season with the German club, playing 29 times in the league. Hinterregger is a very strong defender who rates well in key defensive attributes such as tackles and clearances per game.
Although he seems a strong, solid centre-back who also offers a goal threat from set-pieces he does not rate highly in his passing ability. This seems a significant drawback.
The Austrian usually plays in the centre of defence but he has also played in a wide left-hand side position (something that might help with the problem of a successor to Baines at left-back).
Talking of left-backs, there are further developments today in the Lucas Digne situation. The website sport-english.com are claiming Everton and Barcelona are moving closer to agreeing a deal for the French full-back.
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The sticking point is the fee, which the website says is still to be finalised between the two clubs. Barcelona want 16 million euros, a little more than the Blues have apparently originally offered for the defender.
Digne is, so sport-english.com say, keen to move to Goodison because he wants regular first-team football and the deal is still on with Everton sending representatives to Catalonia to complete the process.
The 24-year-old Frenchman played only twelve times in La Liga last season, and in four of those games he came on as a substitute. Digne did though manage to contribute 2 assists in spite of those limited appearances indicating he has decent creative ability.
Next: Everton looking at midfielder
The left-back does look like a good player with many qualities. He would seem to be an excellent potential addition to the Blues defensive options.