Players Everton could sign for free
While Everton keep getting linked with a bewildering variety of players in this transfer window, according to the Liverpool Echo there are a number of others who are apparently free to sign for new clubs in January.
One of those is a player that Everton were strongly linked with in the summer, the PSG right-back Thomas Meunier.
The Blues were supposedly considering a bid for the Belgian defender, who also attracted a lot of attention from several other Premier League clubs, but in the end opted for a loan move for Djibril Sidibe instead.
Meunier is a very good, solid full-back with plenty of experience and at 28 is at his peak. He would be a strong addition I think and signing him would enable Sidibe to move further forward, which would better suits his strengths and something Carlo Ancelotti has already experimented with.
Another defender who might interest the Blues, is a German centre-back currently playing for Wolfsburg. Although a bit of an unknown, Robin Knoche is the right sort of age, 27, and looks to be a sound enough defender and is very comfortable on the ball.
One surprising member of this list is the Croatia star Luka Modric, apparently now surplus to requirements at Real Madrid. He would be unlikely to join Everton.
Yet another quality player who is available, is the Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega. This is a bit surprising given that he still seems to be a good performer in La Liga.
Banega is a strong all round player and combines excellent attacking creativity, (he has six assists this season), with sound defence too. The only caveat is his age, 31.
Moving on, we come to a player who is a bit of an unusual inclusion in this group. Unlike most of the others he’s not coming towards the later part of his career, in fact he’s only 24. Gaston Pereiro is currently playing in Holland for PSV Eindhoven although he’s not getting much playing time, which might tell you something.
Pereiro is an attacking midfielder who according to whoscored.com has a range of strengths and weaknesses. His strengths do seem quite considerable and he might add a bit of versatility and quality to Everton’s midfield, something that is desperately needed.
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One final midfield option to consider is a player that Blues boss Ancelotti will know well; Jose Callejon. The Spaniard usually plays on the right hand side of midfield for Napoli and offers plenty of attacking threat in a position where the Toffees have been looking for more options. Again while he might welcome the chance to be reunited with Ancelotti, his age could also be an issue.
Coming to the forwards, both Dries Mertens and Edson Cavani are on this list. More realistically for Everton might be a player like Atalanta forward Josip Ilicic. Again Ilicic is the wrong side of 30, but he is a fine attacking talent.
In particular he is the kind of player who would thrive playing off a more orthodox centre-forward, (maybe like Dominic Calvert-Lewin?), as he loves to dribble and play lots of through balls as well as looking to shoot on sight.
Well I have no idea of any of these players would be judged suitable, or be willing to come to Goodison Park even if they were. But certainly given the constraints of limited time and probably money at this point, some of these footballers might be worth looking at as the Blues try to improve their squad quality and depth for the second half of the season.