In a recent report, Portuguese newspaper Sport (Page 13) has claimed that Everton are keen on signing Porto left-back Zaidu Sansui in the ongoing transfer window as Frank Lampard looks set to add to his defensive options ahead of the 2022/23 season.
With three years left on the defender’s contract at the Estadio do Dragao, he is reportedly open to a move to England if a concrete offer in the region of £20 million is put on the table.
However, the Toffees could face tough competition from fellow Premier League clubs like Fulham, Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Having come through the ranks at Nigerian club Jega United, Zaidu Sansui signed for Porto from C.D. Santa Clara in the summer of 2020 for a fee in the region of £3.5 million. Over the course of the last three years, the Nigerian international has made 81 appearances for the Dragons, scoring five goals and assisting one more across all competitions.
Besides, he managed to put up some awe-inspiring numbers on the board the last term – averaging 1.3 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 0.7 key passes, and 1.1 long balls per ninety minutes in the Portuguese top-flight (calculated over 24 appearances). Furthermore, the 25-year-old has ten caps for his country and plenty of Champions League experience under his belt.
Decent Fit For Lampard?
With Jonjoe Kenny’s transfer to Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin on a free, the Toffees need to sign a backup player in the left-back position, someone who can challenge Vitaly Mykolenko for a place in the starting eleven – and Zaidu Sansui is a decent fit for the bill.
“Jonjoe is a player that will bring some fresh impetus and pace into our game,” said Hertha Berlin’s sporting director Fredi Bobic.
“He’s gained experience in both the Premier League and the Bundesliga, plus he still has the potential to develop further aged just 25.”
(Stats from WhoScored)
