Everton have been linked with Youri Tielemans and should prioritise him this summer.
Youri Tielemans
Everton are living up to their tag as ‘best of the rest’ in the Premier League but face a tough challenge to break into the top six.
Leicester showed last season the barrier can be spectacularly broken, and the Toffees showed their ambition last summer by bringing in Steve Walsh from the Foxes as director of football.
One player he could target to drive the club forward is Youri Tielemans, who the Liverpool Echo reported this week is on the club’s radar and has been taking advice from Toffees forward Romelu Lukaku.
Tielemans is 19-years-old but has been on the radar of top clubs since he was just 16, and it is a surprise he is still an Anderlecht player.
Keen not to rush moving on, Everton would be a smart move for Tielemans rather than getting stuck in a team which is too big, too early, like whizkid Martin Odegaard has experienced at Real Madrid and Alen Halilovic at Barcelona.
Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen in action with Anderlecht’s Yoeri Tielemans
For Everton the upside is clear, they have a chance to sign one of Europe’s most promising players for a four to five year deal. Will he view them as a stepping stone, yes right now perhaps, but if they can put enough talent around him as Tottenham have done with their squad there is every chance he could look to re-commit.
Tielemans is more of a defensive midfielder than Tottenham’s Dele Alli, but he could have similarly telling impact if he can live up to the hype.
He has an eye of a defence splitting pass, and a spectacular goal, and has netted 16 times in all competitions this season for Anderlecht, including one in a Champions League qualifier.
Everton could face strong competition for Tielemans’ signature this summer but they have plenty going for them, and need to make him a priority, and a cornerstone of their future success.
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