Gareth Barry vs Yann M’Vila: Would Frenchman be an upgrade for Everton?

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The Blues are reportedly set to battle Sunderland for the midfielder.

Everton’s Gareth Barry in action with Aston Villa’s Leandro Bacuna

According to FootMercato, Everton are set to rival Sunderland for the signing of midfielder Yann M’Vila.

The Frenchman spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, becoming one of their star men as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.

They are keen to have him back the club on a permanent basis, although so far a deal has not been agreed.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey and Sunderland’s Yann M’Vila

That has alerted Everton, who look set to have a busy summer under new manager Ronald Koeman.

Should they make a move for M’Vila, he would likely be a replacement for Gareth Barry in their midfield. That begs the question, how did the two players compare in the Premier League last season? We decided to find out.

And as it transpires, the veteran midfielder had the better campaign as he came out on top in five of the eight areas we looked at.

On a per game basis he won more tackles, more defensive duels and registered more outfield blocks. He also managed more accurate passes per game and enjoyed a better passing accuracy than M’Vila.

Sunderland’s Yann M’Vila looks dejected after Benik Afobe (not pictured) scores the first goal for Bournemouth

It wasn’t all bad news for the Frenchman though as he won more interceptions per game and won possession in the midfield third more often. He also posted more ball recoveries per game than the Everton star.

A win for Gareth Barry though with the stats suggesting that Everton should consider other replacements for him.

Gareth Barry celebrates with Ramiro Funes Mori after scoring the first goal for Everton