In a recent report, Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Everton are keeping a keen eye on Granada keeper Rui Silva. It is believed that the Toffees are determined to secure the signature of the Portuguese keeper when he becomes a free agent at the end of this campaign (via Mundo Deportivo).
Rui Silva’s Impressive Form At Nuevo Estadio de Los Cármenes
The 26-year-old has enjoyed an excellent run of form this season as he has put in quite a few dominant displays in goal for the Spanish outfit. Silva has participated in 22 matches for Diego Martinez’s side this term, shipping in 25 goals and securing nine clean sheets across all fronts.
The Maia-born talent has often preferred to go long with his ball-distribution (8.5 long balls per game) which has seen his pass success rate go down to 59.4% in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season (stats via whoscored).
The former Nacional shot-stopper has a wealth of experience in Portuguese and Spanish football, so he might feel like he is at the right stage of his career to make a big move to the Premier League. Goodison Park could be an attractive destination for him but only if he is guaranteed regular playing minutes in Carlo Ancelotti’s first-team next season.
What Will The Portuguese Custodian Bring To Goodison Park?
Silva possesses excellent reflexes that help him to pull off some incredible saves at the back. He is also quite good at reading the danger quickly and usually positions himself well to either make a save or a clearance inside his half.
The Portuguese sensation is even a decent handler of the ball and can use his strong 1.91m to dominate his penalty area with authority and conviction. However, as mentioned earlier, he is not the most accurate passer of the ball, which makes him a tricky option for Ancelotti to consider next summer.
The Toffees should prioritise on offering Silva a contract when his deal with Granada runs out at the end of this season as he will be a significant upgrade over Jordan Pickford, who is prone to making errors at the back including some high-profile ones against Liverpool in recent seasons.
At 26, the Portuguese goalkeeper is playing at the peak of his playing career right now. Hence, Ancelotti can expect to get the best out of him at Merseyside in the coming seasons if he can lure the player to the north-west of England later this year. Silva will be an ideal long-term acquisition for Everton as he is good enough to help them in their quest to compete for some major trophies in the near future.
