The agent of Dynamo Kiev defender Vitaliy Mykolenko has reacted to reports suggesting that the Ukraine international is set to join Premier League giants Everton for £20 million, as reported by Football 24.
It always seemed a little odd.
Fair enough. Everton may need a new left-back following Lucas Digne’s high-profile fall-out with manager Rafa Benitez.
Digne, by the way, is the only first-team left-back in the Toffees’ rather unbalanced squad. The closest thing Benitez has to a readymade replacement is centre-half Ben Godfrey.
The problem is not with Mykolenko, then, but the fee needed to take him away from Dynamo Kiev. Everton are reportedly paying £20 million. Where they are getting that money from is anyone’s guess.
Everton spent just £1.7 million last summer due to stringent Financial Fair Play rules, remember.
Is Vitaliy Mykolenko really signing for Everton?
“Mykolenko is a good footballer. Although I am friends with the Everton owners, I have never heard of the Liverpool club’s interest in Vitaly,” says his agent, Sandor Varga.
Varga believes that his 22-year-old client, who featured at Euro 2020 and caught the eye during the Champions League group-stages, has the talent and the potential to adapt to life in English football.
Whether there is any truth in Everton’s interest, however, remains a mystery – to us and to Varga.
Lucas Digne’s Everton replacement?
“As for whether Mykolenko would fit at the club, for me the most important point is the player’s relationship with the coach,” he adds.
“I am impressed by his qualities. I think he could prove himself at a new club and not get lost there. And it doesn’t matter whether Rafael Benitez will remain the coach or Sam Allardyce replaces him.
“By the way, I have no information about the last question!
“It will all depend on whether a particular coach needs a player at a particular time.
“How much will Vitaly be able to adapt the English championship? English football is changing, the style of play is changing, there are no tough traditions as there were once when there were no foreign coaches.”
Everton will reportedly need to sell a number of fringe players before they can invest in the January window.
The Sun, however, did claim recently that Benitez may be willing to part with Jordan Pickford in an attempt to raise funds for new arrivals. Yerry Mina is also linked with a winter departure.
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