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Twitter rumour Everton interested in Colombian

By Matt Townsend

MADRID, SPAIN - DECEMBER 09: Wilmar Barrios of Boca Juniors leaves the pitch after recieving a red card during the second leg of the final match of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2018 between Boca Juniors and River Plate at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on December 9, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. Due to the violent episodes of November 24th at River Plate stadium, CONMEBOL rescheduled the game and moved it out of Americas for the first time in history. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - DECEMBER 09: Wilmar Barrios of Boca Juniors leaves the pitch after recieving a red card during the second leg of the final match of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2018 between Boca Juniors and River Plate at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on December 9, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. Due to the violent episodes of November 24th at River Plate stadium, CONMEBOL rescheduled the game and moved it out of Americas for the first time in history. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /
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Well it’s that time of the season again and football transfer stories are coming thick and fast! The latest rumour I have found concerns Everton allegedly moving for Colombian midfielder Wilmar Barrios.

Now this one about a possible new Everton signing, has come via Twitter. It seems to be from a Boca Juniors fan but I don’t know if rumours on social media are any more or less likely to be true that more traditional media, it’s very difficult to know.

Anyway this story concerns the Colombian international player, currently at Boca Juniors, who was previously heavily linked with Tottenham last year.

Barrios is a defensive midfielder and enforcer who played for his country at last summer’s World Cup, alongside his international teammate and now Toffees player, Yerry Mina.

I do think the Blues need reinforcements in the middle of the park but I’m not sure another essentially defensive player is what the Toffees really need.

Everton’s priority is surely more creativity and especially more goal threat from the midfield. Does Barrios offer that?

The answer is basically no.  He is a defensive player whose strengths are his ability to break up attacks, win the ball and dominate in the air, where he seems particularly strong. On the downside he does tend to pick up quite a lot of cards due to his robust play.

Having additional defensive steel in the midfield might better protect the Blues defence, which has been brittle recently to put it mildly. And that ability to win aerial battles is something that could help Everton make more of their own attacking set-pieces.

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But the Toffees already have plenty of midfielders who are basically destructive in nature. Alongside Idrissa Gueye, there is James McCarthy and Beni Baningime in the squad. In addition Muhamed Besic is still officially an Everton player, although he seems very likely to leave for good this summer.

That only leaves Tom Davies and on-loan Andre Gomes who can offer any real creative, offensive contribution. So a player like Barrios doesn’t seem to fit with where the Blues priorities lie.

However given the signing of Mina and Marcel Brands’ history in Holland of bringing in South Americans, it wouldn’t be a total surprise if a player like Barrios arrived to join his fellow Colombian.

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