Carlo Ancelotti has polished the Everton central defence
Last season, Everton invited a lot of criticism for their leaky defence under Marco Silva. When Carlo Ancelotti took over the reins at Goodison Park, mending the backline was on his agenda. Under Silva, the Toffees conceded 27 goals in 15 games. Ancelotti’s team also conceded the same amount of goals in 19 games while also coping with the injuries to Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate.
Signing a central defender was the need of the hour in the transfer window. Brazilian defender Gabriel was close to joining Everton but in the end, Arsenal emerged as serious candidates and snapped the 23 year old.
At the start of the season, when Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite were injured, the central defence was the most vulnerable area with wafer thin depth. There was an immediate need for reinforcements with Mina and Michael Keane being the only fit central defenders. Playing with just two central defenders was like treading on dangerous grounds especially when one of the players has had poor injury track records in the past.
In the culminating stages of the summer transfer window, Everton signed Ben Godfrey from Norwich City. What was deemed by many as a panic buy has now turned out to be one of the most impactful transfers for this season.
Yerry Mina and Michael Keane have been top notch for Everton
When Mina and Keane being the only fit central defenders, the duo had no other choice but to rise to the task and perform. The Englishman has turned into a Superman in the rearguard. He has gone from being highly inconsistent to being one of the most dependable defenders in the squad, arguably Ancelotti’s preferred pick for central defence.
Mina has broken his injury shackles, performing brilliantly even during the busiest periods of the Premier League. Holgate returned to the team in November after spending nearly two months on the treatment table.
Since then, he has had turbulent spells. In some games, he has looked rock solid while in some games he has lacked sharpness. He did slot into the right back position, first to cover for injured Seamus Coleman and later for tactical reasons. Godfrey has showcased a perfect mix of aggression and athleticism while playing anywhere across defence.
Branthwaite, currently on loan at Blackburn Rovers, is on an upward trajectory of development. Everton have four capable central defenders in their ranks and one exuberant starlet on loan. At the start of the season, Ancelotti had limited options but now he can create multiple combinations. To a certain extent, the problem of central defence has been solved.
Gleison Bremer and Gianluca Mancini are reported targets for Everton
Yet, Everton are getting linked to central defenders. Most recently, the Toffees have been associated with Gleison Bremer of Torino. There were shouts of him in the summer too but a move never materialized. Since then, Liverpool have taken interest in the Brazilian as they look to sort out their shortcomings in central defence due to injuries to their first team centre backs.
Bremer has emerged as a wanted man across Europe with a number of teams keeping an eye on the 24 year old. His current deal at Torino runs till 2023 and Il Toro are mulling over offering him a new deal to ward of the interest from elsewhere.
Everton have also found themselves getting linked to AS Roma defender Gianluca Mancini. According to Tuttomercatoweb, the 24 year old has seen his stock risen because of his tireless performances in Rome who are in a defensive emergency. His shift in the backline hasn’t gone unnoticed as Everton and Inter Milan are keeping an eye on the Italian.
It is quite hard to believe that Everton are looking for a centre back in the market. The Royal Blues are well stocked in the central defence and have enough depth to cover for injuries. Branthwaite is excelling at Blackburn and should be available next season. There is no real need for Everton to dive into the market and search for a centre back especially when most of them are performing exceptionally well. Instead, the focus should remain on signing a right back as Coleman is in his twilight years.
Is signing another central defender necessary for the Royal Blues?