Reports suggest Everton are looking at Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele.
Recent days have seen Everton linked with two very talented, all-action French midfield players: Abdoulaye Doucoure of Watford (the Mirror) and Olympique Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele (the Liverpool Echo).
While Doucoure is certainly a brilliant midfield option, it is difficult to deny that Ndombele is the more exciting signing of the two.
The 21-year-old could well be one of the most talented young players in Europe and has forced his way into the World Champions squad already.
He shone again against Manchester City in midweek but that does highlight the big problem for Everton in their pursuit: Barcelona were watching, according to the Mirror.
The Catalan giants are not the only major club said to be interested in Ndombele and it shows how difficult a deal it would be for the Toffees to complete.
Doucoure, on the other hand, would be far more simple; Everton signed Richarlison from Watford in the summer and his success would surely make a reunion with Marco Silva even more enticing for the Frenchman.
That is not to say that Everton should give up on Ndombele. If a deal is there to be done, the Toffees should make sure they are heard, but prioritising him over Doucoure would run the risk of putting the Watford man off, and delaying could mean missing out to another club.
Ndombele is an exciting talent but one that may just be out of reach right now. Doucoure, however, could be a signing that immediately pushes Everton forward and helps make those major signings a bit more realistic in the future.
When Everton are finally negotiating in January, progress is the important factor for the club, and Doucoure looks like a realistic opportunity to achieve just that.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
