Everton are in the running to sign £15m Chelsea reject
Everton midfield was revamped last summer when Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner were signed. Sean Dyche is perhaps seeking another midfielder this summer as EFC have been linked with Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria.
Dyche’s preferred midfield was Abdoulaye Doucoure, Onana and Gueye. The trio complemented each other well, operating as a well functioning unit. Onana is attracting interest from English clubs as Chelsea remain keen on the Belgian. Meanwhile, West Ham United also have Onana on their list as a potential replacement to Declan Rice.
Everton could cash in on Onana and get a big cheque from his sale which can be used to fund the squad rebuild that Dyche has been wanting this summer. If Onana is sold, the Toffees will need a replacement and they seem to be already looking at options in the market.
Everton interested in Juventus midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
According to Calciomercato, Everton are one of the four clubs keen on Juventus midfielder Zakaria. The Swiss international spent the last season on loan at Chelsea, but failed to hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge. In total, he made just 13 appearances throughout the season with just five Premier League starts to his name.
He suffered multiple injuries which kept him out of the team for extended periods. Chelsea had the option to sign him permanently for £27 million but the Blues decided against signing Zakaria permanently. The Old Lady want to get rid of Zakaria this summer and have placed him on the market. The Chelsea reject is on the shortlist of Everton, West Ham United, OGC Nice and Marseille.
If EFC can bring Zakaria on loan, it could be a smart deal but the Toffees cannot pay a hefty sum. He is valued at £15.3 million by Transfermarkt but EFC should not spend that much amount on Zakaria. There is surely risk involved as the 26 year old is injury prone but he does offer to be a solid box to box option.
The Merseysiders cannot make mistakes in the transfer window as they have limited funds and need to maximize the available resources. If Zakaria does arrive on loan, they get a midfielder capable of playing in the engine room and adding depth to the midfield.
Should EFC sign Denis Zakaria?