In a recent print edition, Gazzetta dello Sport has mentioned that Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti wants to land Napoli keeper Alex Meret this summer. It is understood that the Italian custodian is willing to listen to offers to leave Naples at the end of this season which could open the door for Ancelotti, who is a big admirer of his talents, to seal a move for him (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Meret’s Up And Down Season At Naples
Meret has been a sporadic feature in Gennaro Gattuso’s first-team but has done well to put in some solid displays in goal for Napoli this season. He has conceded 27 goals and secured five clean sheets in 19 matches for the Naples-based outfit this term across multiple competitions.
The Udine-born sensation deserves a bit of credit for averaging 0.6 clearances and 2.8 long balls per game in the Serie A and the UEFA Europa League this season. Meret has distributed the ball exceptionally well from the back after completing 88.5% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
The Italian shot-stopper is still under contract at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium until the end of the 2022-23 season, so the Toffees will have to meet Napoli’s asking price if they want to acquire Meret’s services in the summer.
What Are The Italian Keeper’s Best Attributes?
Meret excels at making quick dives and has got outstanding reflexes that enable him to pull off a few world-class saves inside his penalty box. The 24-year-old has shown great composure to pass the ball accurately from the back and is not shy of clearing his lines when needed.
The Italian goalie can position himself well on the defensive end of the field and is a solid handler of the ball as well. However, he has not played regular first-team football this season, so there are some concerns over whether he is good enough to succeed in the Premier League if the Toffees decide to bring him to Goodison Park this summer.
Is Meret The Right Fit For Everton?
Meret has shown some promising signs with his performances this season and has what it takes to rival Jordan Pickford for a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting XI. At 24, he is about to embark upon the peak years of his playing career, so the Merseysiders can expect to get the best out of him if they manage to get him on board in this offseason. All in all, Meret will be a decent fit for the Toffees as long as they plan to use him as a rival to Pickford as the Italian is still not ready to be thrown into the deep waters of top-flight football week in week out.
