Everton are likely to be in the market for a new defender this summer. However, their attempts to get one brought in haven’t gone to plan so far.
Lille star Gabriel has been the hot name linked. The Guardian reported last month that Everton were confident of a £30million deal, but that has since gone quiet.
Then Catalan newspaper SPORT claimed a move for Jean-Clair Todibo was close. Their report suggested that Everton were nearing a €20million (£17.5million) deal.
There has also been little update on that front, two weeks on from the initial report. Everton fans may now be worried about missing out on both Gabriel and Todibo – and Guillem Balague has offered something of an update.
Balague has suggested that Todibo may end up heading to Juventus. Barcelona want to sign Juve star Miralem Pjanic, and Todibo could move to Italy in the opposite direction.
Balague noted that Todibo could become a good player, but he isn’t a sure thing. Juventus have wanted him in the past, and may take him alongside other players for Pjanic.
“The idea is to actually get Pjanic, and Juventus – like all the Italian clubs – are very happy with swaps. Pjanic is one of the ones that Barcelona are talking to Juventus about, in exchange for… well, ‘what do you want from us?’. Todibo, for instance, who was wanted by Juventus before Barcelona got him, and quite possibly he will become a good centre back, even though we don’t know yet. He has got a lot of conditions for it, and maybe they’ll need more players,” he added.
Todibo, 20, emerged as a wonderkid with Toulouse. However, he has only played five games for Barca, and joined Schalke on loan in January.
Everton will hope to get either Gabriel or Todibo in, but this latest update from Balague doesn’t sound too positive for the Toffees – even if he praised the defender as a player.
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