Everton could do with bolstering their midfield ranks in January.
Everton manager Ronaldo Koeman
Everton are in need of bolstering their midfield ranks in the upcoming January transfer window, and Malaga midfielder Ignacio Camacho would represent an ideal option for the Merseyside club.
Ronald Koeman has made a decent start to life as Everton’s new manager, guiding the Toffees to a current position of sixth in the Premier League table after joining the club from Southampton in the summer.
However, the club’s latest 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea served as a wake-up call in terms of their current squad ability in relation to where they ultimately want to go.
Ignacio Camacho celebrates
Everton have money to spend following the investment of the wealthy Farhad Moshiri, and they must bring in that extra quality if they want to break in to the Premier League’s top four over the coming years.
Koeman has recently explained the need for extra bite and steel in midfield similar to that of summer signing Idrissa Gueye, and Malaga’s Camacho certainly ticks all the right boxes.
| Tackles per game | Effective Clearances per game | Interceptions per game | Aerial Duels Won per game | Accurate Passes per game | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignacio Camacho | 3.9 | 1.5 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 54 | 11 |
| Ross Barkley | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 34.9 | 10 |
| Idrissa Gueye | 3.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 53.2 | 10 |
| Gareth Barry | 2.09 | 1.73 | 1.27 | 1.27 | 42.55 | 11 |
| Tom Cleverley | 1.13 | 0.5 | 1.25 | 0.25 | 19.75 | 8 |
| James McCarthy | 1.33 | 0.67 | 1.67 | 0 | 14.67 | 3 |
As shown by the table above, the Spanish midfielder betters Everton’s fellow midfielders in a number of key defensive categories.
Camacho posts an impressive 3.9 tackles, 4.6 interceptions, 1.5 effective clearances and 4.9 aerial duels won per La Liga encounter while on the ball he racks up some 54 passes per match.
Ignacio Camacho playing for Spain
Everton know that Gareth Barry is now well into the twilight of his career while fellow midfielder James McCarthy has struggled to make an impact after being a regular under ex-boss Roberto Martinez.
Camacho was heavily linked with a move to West Bromwich Albion in the summer (Talksport), but many argue that he arguably should be aiming for a club pushing for European qualification.
At 26, he still has the best years of his career ahead of him and his physical abilities would suggest he is very much suited to the Premier League game unlike perhaps many Spanish midfielders before him.
General view outside Goodison Park before the match
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