Premier League Everton have an option to sign Monaco loanee Djibril Sidibe permanently but will Carlo Ancelotti turn to Santiago Arias and Thomas Meunier?
Not even Pep Guardiola needs four right-backs.
So an Everton side who are very unlikely to have European football clogging up their schedule next season can probably do without adding another right-sided full-back to Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Unless, of course, one of the current trio bids farewell to Goodison Park during the summer transfer window.
And that is where the future of Monaco loanee Djibril Sidibe takes a bit of a turn. Not so long ago, it seemed only a matter of time before Everton triggered the £13 million option-to-buy clause in the France international’s contract.
Now, however, a permanent stay at Goodison Park feels more unlikely than ever. It is funny how quickly things change.
Long-serving fan favourite Seamus Coleman is not going anywhere, while young academy graduate Jonjoe Kenny will return from a loan spell at Schalke a more complete, confident and mature footballer.
And then you look at the transfer rumours. In the last week, Everton have been linked with PSG’s Belgium international Thomas Meunier (Le10 Sport) and Atletico Madrid’s Santiago Arias (Antena2).
Interestingly, the latter has a big fan in the shape of Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands, who brought the Colombian international to PSV in 2013.
With Sidibe struggling badly in recent defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea, as the Toffees conceded seven times in two trips to London, it certainly seems that Ancelotti is now looking at alternative options.
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