Austrian defensive midfielder linked with Everton move

More transfer rumours are circulating with Everton being linked to a move for another defensive player, this time the Austrian midfielder Florian Grillitsch.

There are obviously lots of positions in this current Everton team that need serious surgery this summer, whether the Toffees’ survive in the Premier League or not.

We’ve looked at central defence one area of the side that certainly needs a major overhaul. Another position where the Blues desperately need reinforcements is midfield.

In particular, Everton need a good quality defensive, ball-winning midfield player who can provide some much-needed cover in front of that fragile defence.

This has been a problem position (among so many others!) for a while now with various players being tried in this role to widely varying effect while injury and poor form has also hindered efforts to find a consisitent performer in this role.

Addressing this issue should also have been a priority for recent transfer windows, although other positions have also been a major problem too.

As late as the last window in January the club should have been working to strengthen the midfield. Another priority was addressed with two talented young full-backs added in Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson, both signed while Rafa Benitez was still in charge.

And, after the exit of Benitez, his eventual successor Frank Lampard did sign two midfielders but neither were the sort of defensive specialist the team most needed.

Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli were the two new players Lampard brought in and this together with the bizarre earlier addition of Anwar El Ghazi, someone no one apart from Farhad Moshiri and his pal Kia Joorabchian wanted, meant there was no chance to add another player in that window.

Anyway, most recently Fabian Delph has returned from his latest long injury lay-off and he played that defensive, holding role to perfection against Manchester United.

Obviously though, Delph’s age and injury problems mean that even if he were to replicate this sort of form from now on, he’s not a long-term solution.

So we come to Grillitsch. The 26-year-old Austrian international is currently playing in the German Bundesliga with Hoffenhiem.

Media talk claims Everton are one of several clubs interested in him as his current contract runs out this summer.

Grillitsch seems to be a solid enough defensive midfielder who can also play at centre-back so offering that useful degree of versatility.

Once again I have of course no idea if there is anything to this story or if he’s in any way a genuine target but he is quite similar to another player long linked with the Blues’; Adrien Rabiot.

It looks like the Frenchman might well be staying in Italy or of not then he will probably go to a club in Europe leaving the Toffees’ out of the race. Maybe Grillitsch will represent a decent and affordable alternative.  As always we wait and see.