Ronald Koeman has been one of the busiest coaches in the transfer market this summer and he is not going to stop anytime soon as he is looking add some of the brightest stars in Europe to his squad for the new season. The manager has already made a number of stellar signings this summer but is now looking at some fringe players to add some depth to the squad.
This has seen him linked with a move for some of the brightest prospects from the lower teams in the country and one such player now extensively linked with a move to the club is Freddie Woodman.
According to reports from the Sun, the England U20 international is a prized asset for the Magpies but Rafa Benitez, the Newcastle United boss, does not see him in his plans for this season. He is looking to offload him on loan to clubs in France to give him regular game time but English clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have all been monitoring his situation.
And it is now understood that Everton are looking to make a move for the player to sign him on a permanent basis.
The winner of the Golden Glove award in the recent World Cup that the Three Lions’ junior side lifted, Woodman only signed a four year contract at the St James last year, but the rise in his stakes after his performances in the World Cup has got some of the best clubs calling for him yet again.
Standing at 6ft 3in, the 20-year old is a product of the Crystal Palace youth academy in the capital city and moved to Newcastle back in 2014. He is yet to make a senior appearance for the side but has spent valuable time out on loan at Hartlepool United, Crawley Town and Kilmarnock, the latter being his club where he spent the second half of the previous season.
Known for his shot-stopping abilities, Woodman is an agile keeper whose frame allows him to dominate his box. His distribution needs some working but his ability to read crosses and corners along with his handling make him a star for the future.
In Jordan Pickford, Everton already has a future star from England but Dutch ace Maarten Stekelenburg is now 34 and Woodman could be the perfect replacement for him in the long term. At just 20, he has loads of time to improve but is the Goodison Park the right club for Woodman?
