Everton Eying Relegated Premier League French Center Back

For Everton to take the next step in competing at a higher level in the Premier League, they must improve their squad depth so their performances do not drop when first-team players become unavailable.

One specific position group that needs addressing is center back, where Everton has only two real options to put out each game.

James Tarkowski has provided elite stability at the back in his two seasons in Merseyside, not missing a single Premier League tie. The 31-year-old immediately became a leader on the field with club captain Seamus Coleman in and out of the lineup.

The other is young star Jarrad Branthwaite, where daily stories regard him as the first Toffee to be sold off this summer. 10 years younger than Tarkowski, the two provided a strong backline where both dominated in the air and Branthwaite swept away any trouble with his long strides and speed from the left side.

After those two, Michael Keane started some this season before Branthwaite replaced him. Keane, another former Burnley player, is not good enough for the Premier League and Everton should try to get him off the books this summer.

He provided many minutes over his seven-year tenure for Everton, but it is time to move on.

Ben Godfrey looked like a real player when he arrived from Norwich City in 2020, but since he has struggled to find a consistent place in the team.

This season he featured at right back and played better than in recent years, but in the long term, he will need to transition back to center back.

According to the French newspaper L'Equipe, Everton is looking into Burnley center-back Maxime Esteve. The left-footed defender arrived at Burnley on loan from Montpellier and appeared in 16 matches in the second half of the season.

Just turning 22, Esteve can be a player who grows over time and does not require tons of funds to acquire.

Everton is in a precarious position to be smart with their limited assets, and Esteve could fit into their vision to make changes to the squad and potentially replace Branthwaite.

However, given that he played every game for Burnley once he arrived, the team may want to keep in their quest to return to England's top flight next season.