Eddie Howe would try to bring Jefferson Lerma to Everton if the Premier League giants appoint the former Bournemouth manager as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement, as reported by the Colombian edition of Marca.
This time last week, Howe was emerging as one of the leading candidates to take Ancelotti’s place in the Goodison Park dugout.
Things have gone a little quiet around the 43-year-old since then, however, with the Toffees seemingly edging towards the likes of Nuno Espirito Santo and Graham Potter instead.
So can Bournemouth fans sleep that little bit easier tonight?
Howe and Lerma, reunited at Everton?
If Howe isn’t going to get the Everton job – and it looks for all the world like he won’t – Lerma won’t be flying into tackles in royal blue next season.
Marca reports Howe, who recently turned down a role at Celtic, would have made Bournemouth’s £25 million record signing one of his top transfer targets at Everton.
“(Lerna) has been really important. How you see him play on the pitch is how he is day to day – fully committed, wholehearted and very consistent,” Howe said of the former Levante ace in 2019.
“I’ve got a lot of time for Jefferson and how he is – very low maintenance and not someone I have to pick up and manage too much.”
Marca adds that while a move to Everton appears to be little more than hypothetical at this stage, Lerma could still walk away from a Bournemouth side that lost to Brentford in the Championship play-offs.
Galatasaray are leading Valencia in the race for his signature, with the Cherries considering a short-term loan deal.
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