According to a recent report by The Daily Express, Everton have been keeping tabs on the progress of Angers midfielder Baptiste Santamaria and have watched him closely on quite a few occasions during this season. However, the same source has also mentioned that the Toffees are not the only ones keeping track of his development with Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Sevilla and Villarreal also showing interest in acquiring his services this summer.
Santamaria’s Impressive Form In French Football
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a productive season in the Ligue 1 and has been responsible for putting in a string of commanding performances at the heart of Stéphane Moulin’s midfield. He has featured in 30 matches for the French outfit this term, scoring one goal and providing one assist in all competitions. Even though he is more renowned for his defensive attributes in midfield, the talented Frenchman has also shown this season that he can contribute by scoring or setting up the odd goal from time to time.
Santamaria has averaged 3.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per game in the French top-flight this season which goes to show his growing influence in the Angers first-team (stats via whoscored). Despite representing France at the Under-20 level, he is yet to earn a senior cap for his nation. Hence, a summer switch to Goodison Park could give him a bigger platform to catch the attention of Didier Deschamps ahead of the UEFA European Championship which has been delayed until the summer of 2021.
What Will The French Midfield Ace Bring To Merseyside?
Santamaria makes up for his lack of pace by putting in a tireless shift at the centre of the park. He is tidy with his ball-distribution and can read the danger early to make a few crucial interceptions for his side. The French midfielder is also not afraid to put his body on the line and can position himself well to clear the danger when left exposed inside his own half.
However, he is still untested at the highest level, so it is quite likely that the 25-year-old might require some time to get used the physicality and high intensity of Premier League football if he decides to seal a move to Goodison Park this summer.
Carlo Ancelotti currently has Tom Davies, Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Morgan Schneiderlin and Jean-Philippe Gbamin fighting for a holding midfield spot in the Everton starting XI. The introduction of Santamaria will not only provide some healthy competition for them but also improve the overall depth of the Toffees squad.
Ancelotti needs to add more quality to his first-team if he intends to lead his team to some silverware in the coming years. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for the Merseyside club to orchestrate a move to land the Angers midfield workhorse ahead of the new season.
