Everton could soon have their own Kevin de Bruyne on their hands, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side intent on bringing Fiorentina starlet Gaetano Castrovilli to Goodison Park, as reported by Sky Italia.
Suddenly, Federico Chiesa’s status as the undisputed jewel of Florence is under threat. La Viola have another future superstar leaving defenders for dead in that iconic purple shirt, with Castrovilli enjoying a season to remember at the heart of Beppe Iachini’s midfield.
A diminutive schemer who looks more Spanish than Italian in style, the 23-year-old’s balletic stride and defence-splitting abilities make him one of the most promising play-makers anywhere on the continent right now.
It is little surprise then that Ancelotti, who was coach at Napoli until November, is encouraging Everton to make a move for a man who has also jinked his way onto the radars of Inter Milan and Juventus, according to Calciomercato.
Castrovilli models his game on Manchester City talisman De Bruyne, and the influence of the Belgian superstar is clear to see in the way Fiorentina’s rising star carves apart opposition back lines with an impudent back-heel or a perfectly-weighted through-ball.
“Ronadinho and Kaka. De Bruyne is also very strong,” Castrovilli says when asked to name the players he idolises.
“I often watch the Premier League and think De Bruyne is just phenomenal. I hope to get better every year, just as he has.”
Castrovilli is one of those very modern attacking midfielders, an all-action ‘number eight’ who can pass, tackle and run for days.
With Gylfi Sigurdsson’s form leaving a lot to be desired in recent months, could Castrovilli replace the Icelandic international as Everton’s go-to creative lynchpin?
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