Summary Everton are considering signing a new defender before the transfer deadline. One target boasts similarities to former Toffee, John Stones. It could be a bargain transfer at the price of just £8m.
Everton are considering a few more signings to enhance the squad's chances of success, having started the 2023/24 Premier League season in dismal fashion.
A multitude of attacking acquisitions have been made, with Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison joining on loan, young striker Youssef Chermiti arriving from Sporting Lisbon and Udinese talisman Beto arriving to bring goals to the blue half of Merseyside.
Director of Football Kevin Thelwell has work to do on the defensive front, however, and according to recent revelations, Sean Dyche appears to have identified his man.
Who are Everton interested in signing?
According to transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Everton are currently in negotiations with Borussia Monchengladbach for defender Nico Elvedi, who has also attracted attention from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With a reported price tag of just £8m, securing the Switzerland star's signature could prove to be a coup for Dyche and co, and action must now be taken to ensure he joins the fold at Goodison Park.
How good is Nico Elvedi?
Having once been described as “incredible” by former Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl, Elvedi would undoubtedly improve the Everton backline as they look to navigate away from danger this season.
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Indeed, the Toffees have been mired in obscurity for some time, having escaped relegation peril with an upturn in form across the past two Premier League seasons.
Whilst the crux of the club's issues last year was the absence of attacking verve, finishing the term as the second-lowest scorers in the top-flight, Everton are unquestionably in need of fresh life in the defensive third.
Yerry Mina, Conor Coady and Mason Holgate have all left the club this summer, and while the talented Jarred Branthwaite has returned from a successful loan spell with PSV Eindhoven, a star of Elvedi's ilk would bolster the backline and then some.
Having chalked up 270 displays for his Bundesliga outfit, the 26-year-old has made an average of at least four clearances per game across three of the past four league campaigns, as per WhoScored, which could prove invaluable for the Toffees given the recent struggles, having lost all three matches to start the 2023/24 campaign.
The 47-cap Swiss actually ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances per 90, while also ranking among the top 6% for pass completion and the top 17% for goals per 90, as per FBref.
It is this crisp passing ability and natural inclination to find the back of the net himself that has prompted Bundesliga.com to liken his skill set akin to Manchester City's star centre-back John Stones, citing his elegance on the ball and flexibility across a three and four-man defence.
Stones has risen to the fore with Manchester City after joining the club from the Toffees for £47.5m back in 2016, having won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League, heralded as "sensational" by pundit Jamie Carragher for his incredible rise under Pep Guardiola – it is a fair bet to label the 29-year-old as world-class.
The 67-cap England international ranks among the top 7% of positional peers for goals and assists, the top 5% for pass completion and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90, and if Elvedi can bring his own similar qualities to the Premier League then Everton could have their next version of the Citizen gem to solidify Dyche's defence.
Highlighted by former manager Adi Hutter for an "amazing" shackling performance against Robert Lewandowski, Elvedi boasts both the technicality and tenacity to thrive as a ball-playing star and as a no-nonsense central defender, and he could be just the man to unlock a flagging backline at Goodison Park.