According to Daily Star, Everton have joined the race to sign Lyon’s midfield sensation Tanguy Ndombele.
The Frenchman has been in top form this season and a host of clubs, including Manchester City, are interested in his services.
But, Everton, as it seems, are now ready to rival the Premier League champions in pursuit of Ndombele, who could reportedly cost £75 million.
Tanguy Ndombele: A prudent choice by Marco Silva
Following a stuttering start to the campaign, Everton have gradually improved under Marco Silva this season. However, the lack of resources in the midfield department still remains an issue, with Morgan Schneiderlin struggling for consistency, while James McCarthy has had his injury problems.
Therefore, the trio of Tom Davies, Idrissa Gueye and Andre Gomes remain the only reliable options for Silva, thus accentuating the need of a new midfielder, who can add more substance at the centre of the pitch.
Ndombele, to that end, would be a good signing for the Toffees as the Frenchman is gifted with the ideal set of traits that would reinvigorate the Everton midfield.
For one, Ndombele is an excellent athlete, who is known for his dynamism on the pitch, especially in attack where he has averaged over one key pass per game this season.
Despite being labelled as a central midfielder, the 22-year-old loves to push the opposition back with his sharp runs in the final third, which considering his physicality and aggression, often make him a force to be reckoned with.
Ndombele is an excellent ball-carrier, who can not only distribute possession but also work his way around the half spaces. In fact, he has averaged 55 passes per game with an accuracy of 89%, which is better than any other Everton regular this season.
Defensively, the 22-year-old has averaged nearly two tackles per game, which is indicative of his aggression in the middle of the park. However, Ndombele lags behind in terms of interceptions and clearances, averaging under one in both of those statistics.
As for Everton, splashing a fee of £75 million would definitely squash their record transfer money spent on a single player, with Gylfi Sigurdsson being their most expensive player, having been brought in for a fee of nearly £45 million.
The Toffees should try and bring the asking price down or work on a player plus cash deal as Ndomblele would be a valuable addition to the current squad and is perhaps better than all the midfielders they currently have in the roster.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored