Prince Rupert's Tower
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Brazil defender Everton links increase

By Matt Townsend

Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes (R) fights for the ball with Montpellier's French forward Gaetan Laborde during the French L1 football match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Montpellier Herault Sport Club (MHSC) at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, on December 13, 2019. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP) (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes (R) fights for the ball with Montpellier's French forward Gaetan Laborde during the French L1 football match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Montpellier Herault Sport Club (MHSC) at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, on December 13, 2019. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP) (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images) /
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The steady drip, drip of transfer rumours continues despite the fact we are still months away from the summer transfer window. The latest is a story on a defender Everton have been linked to before.

This story comes from the Daily Mirror, who claim Everton are ready to make a summer move for the Brazilian Lille central defender Gabriel.

The article says that Carlo Ancelotti is prioritising adding another centre-back as he steps up his re-building plans for next season. This also comes after the Toffees have been linked with other defenders such as Marash Kumbulla.

The Lille defender has been impressing in the French top flight over the past few seasons, and despite signing a new contract just recently, is supposedly keen on a move to the Premier League.

Ancelotti recently met with owner Farhad Moshiri and Director of Football Marcel Brands, to begin planning in earnest the Blues summer moves. It also follows the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday that underlined some continuing defensive issues.

Gabriel has good stats and seems the type of central defender that the Toffees have been regularly linked with recently. He’s 22, the right sort of age, and would probably accumulate additional transfer value in the future.

The fee being quoted, is allegedly going to come in at around £30 million, which would seem about the right sort of money for Everton to consider paying.

I’ve said recently that I wasn’t sure that the Blues needed to shell out once more on another young defender, but again if Ancelotti believes it is necessary, so be it.

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I felt the real weakness at the back on Sunday was the defending of the full-backs, particularly Djibril Sidibe who too often was caught out and made basic mistakes in the game. Buying another central defender won’t solve that issue.

I like what Sidibe can bring to the team, but he will get exposed defensively because he is very adventurous and attack-minded and doesn’t have the mindset of an out-and-out defender.

He can be exposed and has a worrying tendency to get caught out of position too often and fails to close down his opponent quickly enough.

So if Everton are going to make his loan permanent, then they will have to address this problem. One solution might be to move to a back three and play him and Lucas Digne as wing-backs. However Ancelotti doesn’t seem to be minded to do that and prefers a more orthodox 4-4-2.

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