Everton are interested in signing Wesley Fofana from AS Saint-Etienne, with the Ligue 1 side reportedly ready to cash in on the player.
A report from The Daily Star claims the 19-year-old could become Carlo Ancelotti’s first major signing since his arrival at Goodison Park.
The report goes on to add that the centre-back position is one of Ancelotti’s main concerns as he looks to rebuild his struggling Everton squad.
The Toffees won’t be alone in their pursuit of the player, with RB Leipzig, Milan, Monaco and Stuttgart also said to be admirers.
Read Everton verdict
The links to another central defender make sense for Everton and Ancelotti, it’s an area they simply have to improve this month.
As per the official Premier League website, the Toffees rank among the worst teams in the division for goals conceded (32). Brighton, West Ham and Bournemouth – who are all below Everton in the table – have conceded fewer goals this season.
If Ancelotti wants to make an instant impact at Goodison Park, it’s the club’s defensive issues that he’ll need to resolve. Everton have only kept three clean sheets in the Premier League since the middle of October, via Sky Sports. It’s simply not good enough for a team who want to be competing in the top half of the Premier League.
At the age of 19, Fofana may be considered as a long-term option, but when compared to Barcelona’s Jean-Clair Todibo who the Daily Star also believe is a target, he’s far more experienced with 12 first-team appearances under his belt in all competitions this season, while the latter has managed just three.
