Everton are eyeing a swoop for Getafe defender Djene Dakonam, it has been claimed.
The Toffees have joined Arsenal in the race for the signature of the Togolese International, as per MARCA.
The club’s president Angel Torres remains adamant that La Liga side won’t budge for a penny less than the player’s release clause of €35m.
The 27-year-old made 38 appearances for Getafe across all competitions.
Djene Dakonam – A good but an expensive target
Djene is a versatile player who predominantly features as a centre-back for the La Liga side, but has the ability to play as a defensive midfielder, or fill in the right-back spot if the manager demands.
Toffees boss Marco Silva will be looking to add to his squad in the summer after a less enthralled 8th place finish in the Premier League.
Failure to qualify for European football after spending heavily in the summer has raised concerns, though there was good progress shown towards the end of the season as the players got more used to the system.
Silva uses a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation, in general, and has brought a different approach after taking charge in 2018.
With the departure of Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka confirmed, and Kurt Zouma returning to his parent club Chelsea, the Everton will be short of options at the back.
Yerry Mina and Michael Keane will be key players next season, but that’s not enough as the Toffees will hope to challenge the top seven in the league.
Dakonam stands at 6ft 1in tall as a solid figure in the Getafe defence. He excels at most aspects as his tackling, interception and aerial prowess are strong facets of his game.
The Togolese International managed an average of 1.6 tackles, 2.2 interceptions and 2.6 aerial duels won per 90 minutes last season.
The 27-year-old made a tremendous 4.4 clearances from the back which highlights his anticipation and awareness on the pitch. However, he needs to work on his passing if he has to reach the next level of his game and succeed in Silva’s system at Goodison Park.
A robust defender like Dakonam in the Everton backline would be a good addition, but the €35 million price tag seems a little high.
Stats via: Transfermarkt, Whoscored
