---
title: "Everton to face Premier League opposition for Demiral"
canonical: "https://readeverton.com/everton-to-face-premier-league-opposition-for-demiral/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Elliott Cuff"
section: "Feature Writers"
published: "2020-01-10T22:00:00Z"
modified: "2020-01-10T22:00:00Z"
---

# Everton to face Premier League opposition for Demiral

Everton are set to push to sign Juventus defender Merih Demiral, [according to North Wales Live](https://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-face-battle-bring-17544332).

The Turkish centre-back had emerged as a target for the Toffees earlier this week, as [reported by The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/01/05/everton-left-reeling-record-losses-gulf-merseyside-rivals-grows/), with Everton in need of a new central defender this month.

![Chris Ricco/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readeverton.com/readeverton/2020/01/1188813087-1.jpg)

The Blues only have Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate as senior options this season, and the 21-year old would strengthen the club’s depth in that position.

However, [North Wales Live report](https://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-face-battle-bring-17544332) that Everton will need to fend off interest from both Leicester City and Manchester City, who are also keen on signing the defender.

### Read Everton Verdict

Demiral would likely cost Everton an arm and a leg if they did decide to move for him before the transfer window closes, with [Mirror Sport reporting](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leicester-refuse-give-up-juventus-21249991) that Leicester have already had two bids of £24.5million and £34million rejected for the Turk.

Having played just four times for Juventus in Serie A this season ([WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/362555/Show/Merih-Demiral)), Demiral has not had much of a chance to impress for the Bianconeri, and with the 2020 European Championships around the corner it wouldn’t be a surprise if the defender looked for regular game time elsewhere.

However, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed earlier today in his pre-match press conference that all players linked in the papers have been ‘wrong’ so far, as reported by the [Liverpool Echo’s Phil Kirkbride](https://twitter.com/philkecho/status/1215629417009074176), which does make it difficult to predict the validity of Everton’s supposed interest in Demiral.

[Described by 90min](https://www.90min.com/posts/6405854-merih-demiral-4-things-to-know-about-juventus-latest-summer-recruit) as a having a “great reading of the game” and “knowing when to… make a tackle”, Demiral would bring composure and confidnce to Everton’s backline, while also strengthening the thin option pool currently available to Carlo Ancelotti.