Everton are interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi before Thursday’s transfer deadline.
The Merseyside club are in urgent need of defensive reinforcements, having lost their third game in a row at the weekend. They are languishing at the bottom of the table, conceding six goals and failing to score even once in their new Premier League campaign’s opening three fixtures. Sean Dyche is under pressure at the moment and he will be hoping to turn things around at Goodison Park.
With the end of the summer transfer window looming large, it is not surprising to see Sean Dyche wanting a new centre-back. As a result, Everton have reportedly opened talks with Borussia Monchengladbach over the possible signing of centre-back Nico Elvedi.
Having joined Borussia Monchengladbach from FC Zurich as a teenager in 2015, Elvedi, 26, has gone on to make 270 appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing a further nine assists along the way. The central defender is into the final year of his contract at Borussia Park and has turned down the offer of a new deal. This, in turn, has boosted the Toffees’ hopes of landing him, with the Bundesliga club valuing the Switzerland international for just £8million.
Nico Elvedi would be a bargain signing for Everton at £8million
With zero points, zero goals scored and six goals conceded, it is fair to say that Everton have got off to a worst possible start in their bid to secure survival in the Premier League this season. As things stand, unless and until there are major changes made, this Everton side appears destined for relegation. As a result, Sean Dyche and co have been left scrambling for further incomings before the transfer window closes down this week.
Considering where the club is at the moment, Dyche cannot take punts on unproven, young talents. Experience may well be the key to survival, however, and he is apparently eyeing a move for a central defender with exactly that.
The summer departures of Yerry Mina and Conor Coady have weakened the Royal Blues’ defensive unit. With Michael Keane’s inconsistent performances not going anytime soon, given that the English centre-back has already been dropped in favour of young Jarrad Branthwaite during the 1-0 home defeat to Wolves at the weekend, Everton must seek other options when it comes to defenders.
Dyche has turned his attention towards Gladbach’s Nico Elvedi in a bid to solve his team’s defensive woes. It is understood that Gladbach would be willing to part ways with Elvedi before the deadline if they manage to get £ 8 million as the defender is not willing to extend his current deal which expires in 2024.
Elvedi, of course, has plenty of experience in the Bundesliga, and getting a seasoned campaigner to partner James Tarkowski could prove to be a smart piece of business from an Everton point of view. The Swiss defender started 32 Bundesliga games last season, chipping in with three goals, which demonstrates his value at the offensive end of the pitch. And at 26, he is yet to reach his peak.
Dyche’s side have looked so vulnerable at the back, with last season’s problems with regards to organisation and defending set-pieces rearing their head once more months later. And by signing Elvedi, they could go a long way in solving their defensive conundrum and boosting their bid for survival under Dyche.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.