Christmas may well have come early for Carlo Ancelotti as recent reports have indicated that the Everton board are prepared to back the manager to try and sign long-term target Sami Khedira.
The German is understood to have been a top target for Everton for some time and the 33-year-old has been excluded by Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo from his squad registrations, not featuring at all this season.
Khedira, who won the World Cup in 2014 and earned further silverware at Real Madrid under Ancelotti, is out of contract in the summer.
Juventus are understandably prepared to get Khedira’s reported £100,000-a-week wages off their books and will likely sanction a move to Everton if an offer were to be made. This would prevent Juventus losing out on a free transfer for the midfield veteran, who is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with any non-Italian club next month.
Fresh reports from Correire dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claimed that Khedira would be ‘a gift for Ancelotti’, and that Everton executives are ‘ready’ to make an effort to try and sign him in January.
This is in the context of a fine recovery of form for the Toffees, in which three consecutive victories against high-flying Chelsea and Leicester as well as Arsenal have left Ancelotti’s side in a Champions League position for Christmas.
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Momentum can be a fickle thing in football, and so rewarding Ancelotti with further backing in a push to secure Champions League football would be advisable.
Khedira can add a wealth of talent and experience, given his 400+ club career games, 77 Germany caps and track record of winning silverware.
His relationship with Ancelotti could yet be the deal-maker in luring the midfielder to Goodison Park.
