Everton now linked with signing ageing Ashley Young
Reports this morning claim Everton are closing in on a signing and are in talks with former England international Ashley Young about him joining the club.
This is a strange and on the face of it, unexpected transfer story. But one that on reflection doesn’t seem out of place when it comes to this club.
Everton are continuously linked with all sorts of names that appear to come out of thin air and this one certainly falls into that category.
Although, having said that given that so many players have been alledged to be on the Toffees radar over the last few years, I’m sure I remember something about Young in the past.
There has though been a worrying lack of any concrete activity so far in this window, at least in terms of bringing players in, and supporters are wondering when or if the club will sign anyone this summer.
Well, according to this rumour the Blues are talking to the 38-year-old about a deal even though nothing has been agreed as yet.
If this turns out to be a genuine story, then it does beg the question what is actually going on at Everton.
Are the club in that desperate a place financially that they are having to resort to trying to bring in a free agent who is nearly 40 and can’t have more than a year or two left at best? If so it is extremely concerning.
No disrespect to Young, but he’s not exactly a signing likely to quicken the pulse of Evertonians looking for new additions who can substantially improve the team for the coming season.
Last season the former England star was at Aston Villa where he played the majority of his earlier career, and operated mainly at full-back, appearing twenty three times for the Villians as they eventually qualified for Europe.
That is obviously the clue of course as to why he might be of interest to Sean Dyche.
The Everton boss needs cover at full-back and possibly even a replacement for Vitalii Mykolenko at left-back as the Ukrainian struggled badly last season.
So, it could be that Young will take over that position, or at least be an alternative on the bench and a player Dyche presumably believes can also cover for the injury-prone Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson at right-back.
Regardless, it is a telling indictment of where Everton are that they have to look at ageing players in the very twilight of their time in the game, as they look for new talent.