Everton have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer market this summer but manager Ronald Koeman does not seem convinced even now, that his side has what it takes to compete in the next season. While they are well stacked in attack and in the midfield, the Toffees need some reinforcements in defence to make sure that they have all the necessary tools to face the challenges next season.
They have already spent on Michael Keane from Burnley but reports today suggest that Koeman wants another defender in Thomas Vermaelen this summer.
Transfer story:
English news outfit Sun has claimed the Koeman is plotting a shocking swoop for the Barcelona man, who is currently out of favour at the Camp Nou. He picked up an injury recently in the pre-season with the Spanish side, who are ready to get rid of him and Everton may be able to sign him up on a cut price deal, which might give the Dutch boss options in the long run. So is Vermaelen a decent buy for the Toffees?
History and experience:
Standing at 6ft, the Belgium international is one of the most experienced defenders around in Europe at the moment. A product of the Ajax academy, Vermaelen spent six long seasons at the Emirates with Arsenal, where he won a number of accolades before moving to the Camp Nou in 2014.
However, his time in Spain was a forgettable one, as a number of injuries and lack of regular playing time saw him make just 11 La Liga appearances before he was sent out on loan to Italian side AS Roma last season. He also managed only nine Serie A appearances and is currently out of favour at the Camp Nou, and ready for a move back to the Premier League.
Also wanted by Crystal Palace, the 31-year old is a confident player with the ball at his feet as his passing and dribbling abilities are commendable for a centre back. He is strong and intimidating in the air while his hold up play is also a blessing for teams in England. With 110 Premier League appearances, 31 Champions League appearances and 58 international appearances, he is an established star, who can walk into most squads.
Chances at Everton:
But injuries have hampered his progress greatly. Vermaelen was expected to be the next CB for Barcelona when he joined them back in 2014 but in the last three years, he made just over 30 appearances across all competitions, which is not very assuring.
He is also no more the first choice for his country and is fighting his way back at the highest stage and is a huge gamble for Everton. Ashley Williams and Michael Keane are expected to be the first choice stars for the club next season at the back while Phil Jagielka and Roberto Funes Mori are expected to be backups.
The latter is suffering from an injury and needs a replacement and Vermaelen is a decent established option, but Koeman is more of a manager who trusts the exuberance of youth and surely, he will be better off trying to push an Academy star or a younger player into the first team, rather than gamble on a player who will surely not be available for the entire season.
