Everton have received an offer from an unnamed Belgian club looking to sign full-back Niels Nkounkou on loan before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The Toffees want to agree a handful of incomings and outgoings before the end of the summer market next week. Rafa Benitez and Marcel Brands have added signing a young left-back to their shopping list after Thierry Small joined Southampton.
Everton are also likely to seek a right-back on loan with several being considered to provide depth behind Seamus Coleman. They are waiting for Sheffield United to respond to a £5m bid for Daniel Jebbison, as well, with Benitez keen on landing the 18-year-old striker.
Additionally, Everton remain in internal discussions over reuniting Benitez with Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff. However, any arrivals remain dependent on Brands managing to offload the deadwood, plus potentially James Rodriguez and Moise Kean.
Nkounkou, meanwhile, has interest from a Belgian side and Everton expect the left-back to leave on loan before Tuesday’s deadline. Benitez fielded the Frenchman in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield on Tuesday, for his first senior start since November 2020.
The 20-year-old made six appearances, starting four, under Carlo Ancelotti last season after a summer move from Marseille. But three of his outings came in the EFL Cup in September, plus brief cameos against Rotherham in January and Manchester City in May. His only start came in a 2-1 Premier League loss at Newcastle, before spending six-months on the bench.
Nkounkou needs to leave Everton on loan before Tuesday
Nkounkou, who made one appearance at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, has two-years remaining on his Everton contract. Ancelotti played a key role in bringing the Frenchman to Merseyside, per The Athletic. But the Italian showed little faith last season and, seemingly, Benitez will not either. Despite starting the left-back in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
Brands, then, must secure Nkounkou a suitable loan move before next Tuesday’s deadline to avoid another potentially wasted season. The youngster would have learned a lot from training in-and-around Lucas Digne and with Toffees legend Leighton Baines.
But Nkounkou needs to play regularly – ideally week-in, week-out – to show Everton his potential. The club will soon have to decide if he has a long-term future, too, as his contract expires in 2023. So, could see a Belgian stint as a chance to fulfil Ancelotti’s expectations.
“The possibility is now stronger for Niels to be on the pitch at Everton than at OM,” his agent Yvan Le Mee told Foot Mercato last summer. “There is also a coach called Carlo Ancelotti who called the player, who spoke to him, and who knows the potential of the player. He thinks that by working with the player, he can make him a top player.”
Director of Football Brands also said, via The Times: “Niels is a young, talented player with good technical and physical skills. We have been following him [at Marseille] for months.”
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