Everton have done well to crash into the top half of the Premier League points table after a miserable start to their campaign this season. Sam Allardyce, their new manager, has done a decent job with the squad at his disposal but is now desperate to add some quality to his first team in January and has been linked with some of the finest stars in Europe.
A few positions in the squad need to be strengthened quickly and one player Allardyce and Everton are considering is Serie A star Jakub Jankto.
Long-term transfer target
The 21-year old Czech is one of the most exciting youngsters on display in Serie A this season and has been a transfer target for the Toffees for more than a couple of transfer windows now. But Everton were not able to convince his parent club, Udinese to sell yet.
However, recent reports suggest that the Italian outfit are finally ready to cash in on him, and have set an asking price of £22m for his services. The likes of Arsenal, Juventus and Inter Milan are all interested in his services but is he the right man for Everton?
Who is Jankto?
A product of the academy at Slavia Prague, the 21-year old only moved to Italy in 2014 and took just one year to break into the senior side at Udinese. He spent the previous season on loan at Ascoli but has returned to his club as a star player and has established himself in the first team this season.
He has three goals and two assists in just 12 Serie A starts this season and is growing confident with every game. A central midfielder by trait, Jankto is a gifted footballer, with a smart head on his shoulder. With a perfect balance to the offensive and defensive side of his game, the youngster is capable of creating chances regularly in the final third but can also help his side shut-shop at the back when needed.
A specialist in dead-ball situations, Jankto is known for his defence breaking through balls, even the best defences in Italy have struggled against. He is strong in his hold up play and also in the air and is perfect for the English game and has recently revealed that he is looking for offers away from Italy.
Should Everton go all in?
Allardyce, who took over the club just over a month ago, has preferred Idrissa Gueye as his first choice defensive midfielder but none of his players have shown enough promise to find a regular first-team spot. Morgan Schneiderlin, Tom Davies, Davy Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and even Nikola Vlasic have been used in the midfield but none of them provide what Jankto can, to this side.
Schneiderlin is the closest player who can offer as much as the Czech man can but the former Manchester United midfielder has been horribly out of form and has lost his place in the first team. So Jankto, though not a genuine upgrade on all their midfielders, is a player who can still walk into their first team and could be a sensational addition for the Toffees.
Allardyce needs peculiar players in particular positions for his system to work and if he believes that Jankto is the right fit, Everton should go all in for him, especially because he is a long-term option. But do you think, at £22m, is he too much of a risk for the Blues?
