Everton make their move for Serie A right-back as formal bid is submitted

Everton have submitted a formal £17m offer, plus add-ons, for Atalanta right-back Raoul Bellanova, as David Moyes looks to finally resolve his long-running right-back problem.

According to Italian journalist Luca Cerchione, via Football-Talk, Everton have moved to get ahead of Real Sociedad in the race for the 26-year-old, with Atalanta already lining up Nottingham Forest’s Nicolò Savona as a replacement should the sale go through. Jake O’Brien has deputised at right-back since returning to Everton, but has looked uncomfortable in the role at times, with Seamus Coleman gone and Nathan Patterson’s future still unresolved.

Bellanova offers a different profile to the options Everton have relied on. He averaged almost twice as many key passes per game last season as O’Brien managed from right-back, while a 67% success rate in ground duels points to defensive reliability alongside his attacking output.

Everton’s right-back search

Bellanova now joins Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Rico Lewis on the list of right-back options Everton have been credited with this summer, though the formal offer submitted for Bellanova suggests he may currently be the most advanced of the three. Track the latest across every position in our summer transfer news pages.