Report: 20-year-old Ancelotti said is ‘improving’ ready to accept offer to leave Everton on loan

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Niels Nkounkou is prepared to accept an offer to join Standard Liege on loan from Everton for the 2021/22 season, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.

The defender is ready to leave Goodison Park for the remainder of the current campaign in search of regular minutes. Nkounkou has only made seven appearances in all competitions since moving to Merseyside from Marseille last summer.

Just 81 of Nkounkou’s 451 minutes of action for Everton has come in the Premier League, as well. Additionally, his appearance on the bench at Brighton on Saturday was the full-back’s first inclusion by Rafa Benitez, after starting the Carabao Cup win at Huddersfield.

Everton are willing to send Nkounkou to Standard Liege for the season, but have refused to include any purchase clauses. The 20-year-old has two-years remaining on the three-year deal he penned last summer.

Reports by The Athletic (31/8, 09:20) add there is a strong chance Nkounkou joins Standard Liege on loan. Talks have not yet reached a total agreement, but the Liverpool Echo had reported last week that Everton expect him to leave on loan amid interest from Belgium.

His exit will leave Lucas Digne as the only recognised senior left-back at Goodison Park for Benitez to call on. The Spanish coach can also utilise Ben Godfrey as a full-back, however, after he impressed regular in the role under Carlo Ancelotti last season.

Should Everton let Nkounkou join Standard Liege on loan?

Everton will leave Benitez short of natural left-backs by allowing Nkounkou to join Standard Liege on loan on Deadline Day. But the Toffees should not stand in the one-cap France full-back’s way, as he needs more regular game time.

Nkounkou has only turned out twice in the Premier League since moving from Marseille in 2020. Ancelotti also stated last December that he needs to be featuring more often to push his way into the set-up. But that has not and will not happen if he stays at Goodison Park.

“I think he did well and is doing well,” Ancelotti said, via the Liverpool Echo. “[But] to be in the squad, to be in the team, he needs more experience. For him, it is the first year at a top level as a professional, he has to improve, he is improving.

“There’s no doubt about his professionalism. He is really focused in training, he’s going to play, but in this moment I prefer more experienced players.”