In a recent report, Il Napoli has mentioned that Everton are showing ‘strong’ interest in Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. It is understood that the Italian custodian could be sold by the Naples giants this summer which could open the door for the Toffees to seal a move for him (via Il Napoli).
Meret’s Impressive Season At Naples So Far
Meret has caught the eye by putting in some solid displays in between the sticks for the Italian outfit during this campaign. The Udine-born talent has made 18 appearances for Gennaro Gattuso’s team this term, conceding 24 goals and securing five clean sheets in multiple competitions.
The 23-year-old has done well to average 0.6 clearances and 2.8 long balls per 90 minutes in Serie A and the UEFA Europa League this season. He has even distributed the ball with a lot of conviction after completing 88.4% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
However, the Italian shot-stopper has not been a part of Gattuso’s first-team in recent weeks as David Ospina has got the nod to start ahead of him at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Hence, this summer could be the perfect opportunity for Meret to switch clubs in search of more playing minutes in the coming seasons.
What Does The Italian Custodian Offer On The Field?
Meret boasts excellent reflexes that help him to pull off a few impressive saves at the back. He can make some quick dives to come to his side’s rescue and is usually quite clever with his positioning inside his penalty box.
The Italian keeper has passed the ball accurately throughout this campaign but needs to work on improving his handling when coming out to collect crosses in and around his six-yard box. At 23, he is about to enter his prime soon, so Ancelotti could fancy getting the best out of him if he can engineer a move to bring him to Goodison Park during the summer transfer period.
Is Meret The Right Choice For The Toffees?
Meret could prove to be a decent choice for Everton to consider at the end of this season as he has all the skillset required to challenge Jordan Pickford for a regular starting spot in Ancelotti’s first-team next season. Plus, the Italian sensation might serve as an upgrade over Robin Olsen, who is unlikely to extend his loan spell and could return to his parent club AS Roma this summer.
With all things considered, Ancelotti would be wise to orchestrate a move to secure the Napoli custodian’s services as he will undeniably add some much-needed quality to his goalkeeping department. Meret might even help the Toffees compete across multiple competitions in the long-run.
