New Everton media links to another left-back Caio Henrique

In another speculative story Everton are apparently tracking a Brazilian left-back, Monaco’s Caio Henrique, with reports suggesting he could be a transfer target in January.

Although the season is in full swing and the World Cup is just around the corner, the January transfer window is also coming up and as usual Everton are being linked to a host of players.

This latest story claims the Toffees’ are interested in bringing the Monaco star to Merseyside with manager Frank Lampard supposedly very keen on him.

I find this a slightly strange story given the fact that the Blues’ have only recently signed two left-backs in Vitalii Mykolenko and Ruben Vinagre, in January and the summer respectively.

And while Vinagre is only a loan signing, there is also another young left-back on their books in Nils Nkounkou, who has himself gone on loan again this season to Cardiff City.

With those players plus Ben Godfrey who can also fill in at full-back if necessary, it would seem Everton have more than enough options in this position.

In addition, the Toffees’ also brought in Dwight McNeil last summer a player who’s strengths are his ability to put quality balls in and provide chances particularly from the left flank.

Although he’s not a left-back he is also solid and hard-working defensively and could theoretically drop into a left-back position or possibly play as a wing-back.

Anyway, according to these rumours, Lampard is impressed with Henrique’s attacking flair and statistics, which include five assists so far for the French Ligue One club this season.

One thing that has been evident this season is that despite his generally solid defensive work, Mykolenko hasn’t contributed as much offensively as might have been expected.

He isn’t the most naturally attacking player anyway but this lack of contribution was thrown into sharper relief by the recent injury to his opposite number at right-back, Nathan Patterson.

Patterson had been outstanding since coming into the first-team at the start of the campaign and his attacking instincts have been a key part of his effectiveness with the team.

Without that outlet and Mykolenko’s indifferent form, the Toffee’s had suffered a loss of attacking width and this compounded their other problems up front in terms of creativity and goals.

Now with the return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the side, Lampard needs players who can provide him with the sort of service the England striker has thrived on in the past.

I’ve argued that with Patterson’s return and perhaps with McNeil being given a bigger role in a revised team and formation, this might be possible.

But maybe Lampard believes he still needs more width and options from full-back and so is considering a move for the Brazilian.

It would though seem difficult and probably very expensive to bring him to Goodison Park, especially in January, as he’s just signed a new long-term deal with Monaco.

So, I think that Everton would be better looking at other forward options first, particularly those that can offer more goals than Henrique does.