Everton eye 22 year old Championship ace to solve central defence issues
Everton knocks on Norwich City’s door for Ben Godfrey.
It’s no secret Everton are in the hunt for another central defender. Could he be found in East Anglia? Norwich City’s Ben Godfrey has emerged as a target for manager Carlo Ancelotti, according to The Athletic.
According to Football Insider, Everton are preparing a formal offer of up to £25 million for the England Under-21 international. A bid from Fulham has already been rejected, but according to the article, the Toffees have not been discouraged in their pursuit.
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Ben Godfrey, who is from York and went to Archbishop Holgate School, made 30 appearances in the Premier League for the Canaries, who were relegated. Godfrey had some decent statistics, according to the Premier League’s official website,
He won 64 per cent of his tackles. had 148 clearances and won 105 of 175 duels. Numbers that would improve with Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure screening in front of him.
Ancelotti’s club opened this season with only three healthy centre-backs (Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and teenager Jarrad Branthwaite .) The preferred option Mason Holgate, who emerged last season, started the season on the injury list and is still there.
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Branthwaite joined Holgate on the treatment table when he suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the Carabao Cup tie against Salford City and is still out. First-choice left-back Lucas Digne has filled in at centre back alongside Keane when Mina didn’t play.
After Branthwaite’s injury, Ancelotti told the Liverpool Echo, He would be looking for another central defender. Besides Ben Godfrey, a number of names have been linked with the Toffees, among them Chelsea defenders Fikayo Tomori as per Sky Sports
Kurt Zouma, who spent 2018-19 on loan at Goodison, is available for around £36 million as the arrival of Thiago Silva has pushed him further down the pecking order. Leicester is also reportedly interested in Zouma, according to the Daily Mail.
The transfer window closes on 5 October for moves between Premier League teams and their oversea counterpoints. However, there is a domestic-only window which runs until 16 October. With Ben Godfrey at Championship side Norwich City, the Royal Blues will have a little bit longer to work out a deal if Godfrey is their choice.
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Is Norwich City centre back Ben Godfrey a viable option for the Toffees?