Everton linked with move for United’s Rojo
With the days ticking down until this summer’s transfer window shuts, Everton are now being linked with the Manchester United centre-back Marcos Rojo.
Everton are currently in contact with United over a deal for the Argentine defender, according to the Daily Mail.
The paper is claiming Blues boss Marco Silva rates Rojo from when the two were at Sporting Lisbon and wants to bring him to Goodison Park as part of a defensive back three.
United are apparently happy to let Rojo move on for a fee of around £30million as they re-build their defence and seek to bring in other players there.
It’s not clear yet if any deal for Rojo would be instead of signing Yerry Mina from Barcelona or in conjunction with it.
Ironically it’s United who are most likely to de-rail the Blues effort to get Mina. Stories are circulating that the Old Trafford club want Mina as they face frustration in their efforts to get first-choice options like Harry Maguire.
We’ve been saying Everton need to have alternatives if the Mina deal doesn’t work out and perhaps Silva sees Rojo as just that.
However I’m not convinced that he would be a good alternative option to Mina or indeed a good addition along with the Colombian. And especially not at that excessive price.
Rojo has had a less than outstanding career at United and he’s struggled with injury problems throughout.
This season he’s only played a few games in the Premier League, again due to injury and the fact that Jose Morinho doesn’t seem to rate him anyway.
The Argentinian did play regularly for his country in the recent World Cup and appears to be fit and healthy at the moment.
Silva seems to be committed to implementing a back three defensive system similar to England at the World Cup.
More from Prince Rupert's Tower
- Everton 0 Arsenal 1: Blues fall to third home defeat
- Further chaos in Everton takeover as other lenders not keen on 777 Partners
- Everton need repeat of Arsenal win to kick-start their season on Sunday
- More madness at Everton as Moshiri now agrees to sell club to 777 Partners
- Everton takeover talk cools after UK govt doubts and further questions
However while England’s was a direct response to the relative strengths of the squad available to Gareth Southgate, Silva is trying to shoe-horn his players into that system.
Everton don’t have the right kind of players to make a three-man defence work properly. The Blues have struggled to adapt and this has compounded the wider defensive problems the team still seem to have.
Rojo is a player that Silva seems to think can help make the system work. But surely the answer is to adopt a defensive formation that reflects the strengths of the players rather than the other way around.
At any rate Everton certainly need more defensive help as recent pre-season matches only underline. But I think there are better and more preferable options out there that the Blues should consider instead.