Everton have now made an offer to sign a “highly talented” defender, whose club are now willing to cash-in this summer, according to a report.
Toffees eyeing defenders with Keane departure imminent
Michael Keane’s time on Merseyside is coming to an end, with the 32-year-old set to leave Goodison Park upon the expiration of his contract this summer, meaning David Moyes will be tasked with bringing in a new centre-back.
There is no shortage of options for the Toffees, who have wasted no time identiying potential replacements for the English defender, with Nantes’ Nathan Zeze the latest player to join the list of targets.
The need to bring in a new centre-back could also be exacerbated by Jarrad Branthwaite’s potential departure, with Chelsea now keen on taking the Englishman to Stamford Bridge.
One defender who will not be leaving the Blues this summer is Seamus Coleman, with the Irishman’s contract recently being extended by one year, but there have been suggestions that a new right-back could arrive at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Coventry City’s Milan van Ewijk emerged as a potential option for Moyes’ side earlier this week, and a report from Turkey (via Sport Witness) has revealed that Everton have also made an offer for Galatasaray right-back Elias Jelert.
Galatasaray are looking to cash-in on Jelert this summer, amid interest from a range of different clubs, with some unnamed Spanish sides coming forward with proposals of their own.
A deal is likely to be relatively inexpensive, with the Turkish side looking to recoup the €9m (£8m) they spent on the right-back, but a loan deal also remains a possibility, given their eagerness to get him off the books.
Jelert struggling in Turkey despite being “highly talented”
It is clear that Everton need to start thinking about long-term replacements for Coleman, given that the captain is now 36-years-old, and there are some signs the Galatasaray defender could be a suitable option.
The Dane was lauded as “highly talented” by analyst Jacek Kulig during his time with FC Copenhagen, during which time the 21-year-old racked up a great deal of first-team experience at a young age, making 97 appearances for the club.
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However, it would be fair to say the move to Galatasaray hasn’t worked out for the youngster, who has made just a handful of starts for the Turkish champions this season, which suggests he isn’t at the level to make the step-up to the Premier League.
As such, despite the fact Jelert could be available on the cheap, it would be a risk to bring in the Denmark international this summer, and it may be wise for Everton to sign a player who is proven in a major European league.
