Premier League Everton are reportedly looking to sign Santos defender Lucas Verissimo – is he the perfect fit for Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park?
Everton have had a bid rejected for Santos defender Lucas Verissimo, according to UOL.
Carlo Ancelotti might have been coy about bringing potential new signings to Goodison Park in the January transfer window but, while The Toffees’ striker search appears to be on hold for now, an extra centre-back would certainly go down well with everyone on the blue half of Merseyside.
Ancelotti’s predecessor, Marco Silva, was very vocal about his disappointment in Everton’s failure to replace either Kurt Zouma or Phil Jagielka over the summer, leaving the coach reliant on just Michael Keane, Mason Holgate and Yerry Mina – three far from convincing options.
And, try as they might, it seems that Everton are no closer to bringing some defensive reinforcements to the club.
UOL claims that Santos have rejected a loan offer for Verissimo from Goodison Park.
That does not mean this deal is dead, however. Santos president Jose Carlos Peres wants to cash in on the 24-year-old, rather than loan him out, with a permanent deal on the cards even if a temporary one is not.
Futebol Interior reported that Santos would sell Verissimo for £7 million – a fee which suggests he may be worth the punt.
Intelligent yet aggressive in the tackle, Verissimo is renowned for his excellent reading of the game and his impressive passing range – completing 87 per cent of his passes in the Brazilian Serie A last season.
Ancelotti’s possession based style could suit him down to the ground.
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