The Dutch defender has impressed on loan at Stoke City after Everton missed out in the summer.
A year and a half ago, the career of Bruno Martins Indi was at the crossroads. One of the many breakthrough stars to emerge under Louis Van Gaal at the 2014 World Cup, the Dutchman had failed to convince at new club Porto and was dropped from the Dutch national team after costing his side dear with a needless red card in a home defeat to Iceland. It wasn’t just England who underestimated the Scandinavian minnows.
These days, however, Martins Indi is back to his best, having swapped Lisbon for Stoke. And, according to Sky Sports, he wants to repay Mark Hughes’ faith by turning his loan deal into a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
And you’d expect The Potters to jump at such an opportunity. A powerful, athletic centre-back whose composure on the ball makes him an ideal fit for Hughes’ expansive gameplan, Martins Indi has been one of the most astute Premier League additions of 2016/17, even if his performances have gone under the radar somewhat.
All the while, Everton remain on the lookout for a centre-back with that rare mix of class and combativeness. Ramiro Funes Mori remains distinctly erratic while Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka (below) have a combined age of 66.
According to O Jogo, Martins Indi was an £8.3 million summer target for compatriot Ronald Koeman and, with the defender seemingly on the verge of signing permanently for Premier League rivals Stoke, you wonder why Everton did not pull out the stops to get the deal done when they had the chance.
Especially when defenders of Martins Indi’s ability don’t come around very often for such an affordable fee.
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