Another transfer story from previous windows has resurfaced as rumours of a move by Everton for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot return.
The French player was someone who regularly featured in past transfer windows as a footballer Everton were strongly interested in.
Now again the Toffees are apparently looking at doing a deal for the ex-PSG player, who Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously worked with and supposedly admires.
Rabiot is a very talented footballer with the sort of qualities that the Blues midfield could certainly do with more of. But he is also one who has had a chequered past and has been considered a difficult player to deal with.
But Ancelotti seemed to get the best out of him at PSG and as with current Everton players like James Rodriguez, this close personal relationship may prove critical in whether the player chooses to come to Goodison Park.
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
The number of midfielders that the club are being linked with is almost surreal and also includes a club team-mate of Rabiot’s; Sami Khedira.
Like the Frenchman Khedira has been a name repeatedly mentioned alongside the Toffees as a player Ancelotti is pondering moving for.
There are also reports which claim that Khedira is, given the age of the former German international, the fall-back option as Ancelotti seeks another defensive midfielder.
If these reports are true (a big if as always) then Rabiot would appear to be more likely a first-choice option and as he is 25, would be a longer-term alternative to play alongside Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Even if the Everton boss and hierarchy are genuinely interested in him, one major obstacle alongside his temperament, would be any fee.
Juventus are looking to offload a number of players and like so many major European clubs they have been badly hit by the financial fallout from Covid.
But even so they would presumably still want a considerable amount for a player who has started nine matches this season for the defending Serie A champions and so is a key part of their squad.
Any substantial fee would probably be a deal-breaker given the Blues own financial constraints and so if one of these Juventus players does swap Turin for Merseyside I suspect it will still more likely be Khedira.