Have Everton found the new Phil Jagielka in Bristol City’s Championship ace Adam Webster?
Back in the summer of 2007, Everton bought a young, ball-playing centre-back who was equally comfortably filling in at the heart of midfield.
Little did we know then that the £4 million they spend on Phil Jagielka would prove to be one of the Toffees’ most inspired signings of the last 20 years.
After 12 years and 385 games, Jagielka has bid an emotional farewell to Goodison Park. And now Everton face the unenviable task of replacing a long-serving captain.
But with Adam Webster being linked with a move to Merseyside, it is impossible to ignore the comparisons between the 24-year-old Bristol City ace and a young Jagielka making his name at Sheffield United.
According to The Sun, Everton have joined Newcastle and Aston Villa in targeting a potential £12 million deal for Webster, who made 43 Championship starts in a superb debut season at Lee Johnson’s Robins.
And while Webster would have a long way to go before he could match the achievements of Jagielka on the blue half of Merseyside, it is surely no coincidence that Everton are once again aiming to raid a Championship club for an intelligent, sure-footed centre-half who can play in defence or midfield.
The comparisons are simply unavoidable.
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