Everton failed with a late move for Jairo Riedewald this summer.
With four defeats to start the season, Frank de Boer lost his job as Crystal Palace manager earlier this week, paying the price for a terrible to his first Premier League season.
Palace have already replaced De Boer with former England manager Roy Hodgson, and he also suffered a defeat on Saturday, losing 1-0 at home to Southampton, meaning the Eagles have lost all five of their Premier League games this term without even scoring a goal.
Many feel that De Boer wasn’t given nearly enough time to implement his methods or bed in his new signings, with some believing that he wasn’t even given enough money to spend on additions anyway.
One of his summer signings, defender Jairo Riedewald, reunited with De Boer having worked together at Ajax, but having made the move to Selhurst Park on the basis of working with De Boer again, there are already questions over his long-term future in South London.
One club who also hoped to sign Riedewald over the summer were Everton, with the Daily Mail reporting that manager Ronald Koeman had identified his fellow Dutchman as the ideal left-footed defender he needed, but his move to hijack Palace’s deal came too late.
Koeman made no secret of his desire to sign a left-footed centre back who could also play at left back, and Riedewald fits that bill perfectly, meaning that De Boer’s exit from Palace could give Everton another chance to move for the 20-year-old.
Whilst he looked to be adjusting to the physicality of the Premier League, Riedewald can still provide the balance Koeman is looking for, whilst also handing the Everton boss a young defender he can groom to one day replace Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka or Leighton Baines.
Riedewald has a decent turn of pace and ability on the ball to bring the ball out from the back – much like many defenders to have come out of the Ajax academy – which could go some way to helping Everton’s lumbering, clumsy defence which has been exposed too many times this season.
Riedewald may not be an instant saviour for Everton, but with Williams, Jagielka and Baines all ageing, a young player who can fill in for any of them would be ideal – and Koeman should be looking to capitalise on De Boer’s premature sacking by launching a new move for Riedewald in January.
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