Everton continue to be linked with the Celtic right-back.
Celtic defender Anthony Ralston in action against Neymar
Everton’s alleged interest in Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston is somewhat curious.
The Toffees aren’t exactly short in Ralston’s position, and certainly won’t be when Seamus Coleman returns to action later this year.
Were Everton to sign the Celtic teenager in January – as the Sun suggests they will try to – he’d be one of five senior options available for the role, alongside Coleman, Cuco Martina, Mason Holgate and Jonjoe Kenny.
Everton defender Seamus Coleman
And it is the latter’s future which is perhaps most at risk was Ralston to come in.
Despite Coleman’s absence having spanned much of the last six months, Kenny has only appeared once for Everton’s first team during that time.
That’s also despite a string of impressive appearances for club and country at youth level, and calls from many Evertonians for the homegrown 20-year-old to feature ahead of Martina, their free transfer signing from Southampton earlier this year.
It raises the question: does Ronald Koeman, the Everton manager, think as highly of Kenny as everyone else seems to – with Under-23s boss David Unsworth also having sung the player’s praises?
If he does then why did he sign – and continue to play – Martina? Why hasn’t he thrust Kenny into action as he did last season with Tom Davies and Dominic Calvert-Lewin when short in other areas?
Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny lifts last season’s Premier League 2 trophy
Whether Everton are interested in Ralston remains to be seen, and whether they’ll actually sign him is another matter, with other English clubs said to be circling around the Celtic talent.
But if they are – and, indeed, were to – then that surely spells bad news for Kenny.
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