Everton are reportedly interested in signing Athletic Bilbao defender Unai Nunez, who is pushing to leave the Basque club this summer after failing to turn up to pre-season training.
According to La Voz de Galicia, the 25-year-old centre-back has not been present this week for the start of Athletic’s summer training camp, with Celta Vigo showing plenty of interest in signing the La Lige centre-back along with Everton, who are showing ‘strong signs’ they want to bring Nunez to Merseyside.
As per the report, Nunez has not been a regular for Athletic for the past 12 months, with the defender playing just 25 league games last season with the former Spain U-21 international now eager to leave Bilbao in search of regular first-team football.
One of the few players in La Liga to not have a release clause in their contract, Nunez has previously been quoted at £25m according to reports last year, with the likes of Arsenal, West Ham and Wolves all chasing the Athletic star in 2021, with Everton now setting their sights on the defender.
Indeed, Everton have been slow in the market this summer with Frank Lampard’s only major arrival coming in the form of former Burnley defender James Tarkowski, who signed as a free agent following his release from the relegated Turf Moor side.
With Richarlison leaving Goodison Park and recruitments needed in almost every area of the pitch, Lampard has a lot of work and very little time to ensure fans that next season won’t be as disastrous as last year, and signing Nunez from Athletic will be a great step in the right direction for Everton.
Nunez signing is perfect for Everton following Tarkowski’s arrival
Everton’s defence last season, to put it bluntly, was a complete mess, with the centre-backs leaking in goal after goal as the Toffees almost dropped down to the Championship for the first time in decades, and whilst signing Tarkowski is a good first step, bringing in Nunez would be an even better development.
The La Liga defender is desperate for a new challenge, and Everton can provide that with the Toffees more than willing to meet Athletic’s financial demands to get Nunez off their books in a potential move that could benefit all parties involved.
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