Everton have set off in the summer transfer window with ambitious plans of improving the current squad, despite not having a manager in the side. They are planning to revive their interests in Crystal Palace’s Patrick van Aanholt, who was previously on Sam Allardyce’s shopping list.
The 27-year-old is full of flair and might just be coming off his best season in the English top-flight. Aanholt played a key part in Palace’s race for relegation survival the last term by scoring on 5 occasions and assisting once. He was an integral part of Roy Hodgson’s defensive system which put clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in trouble in the late stages of the 2017/18 league campaign.
The Eagles managed to finish in the 11th spot of the points table,11 points clear of the bottom three spots. Aanholt has played his part on the defensive end while remaining a constant threat of offence. Bags of skill and pace paired with a brilliant left-foot can certainly be appreciated by the fans and by the looks of it, Everton officials as well.
The Dutchman still has 2 more seasons left with the Selhurst Park-based outfit, after making his move from Sunderland in January 2017. Aanholt is one of the Chelsea youth program graduates who somehow fell through the cracks.
He arrived at England in 2007 to sign with the Blues and spent his early years out on loan to clubs like Coventry City, Newcastle United, Leicester City and Wigan Athletic. He made only 8 senior team appearances for Chelsea before he was traded away to the Black Cats in July 2014.
Now he has over 120 games worth of Premier League experience and is finally enjoying the peak of his playing career. He made 51 appearances for the Netherlands youth sides and currently has 8 caps for the country’s senior team.
He is expected to succeed Leighton Baines in the left-back spot at the Goodison. The latter is 33 now and is already showing signs of slowing down. Baines hit an injury snag earlier in the campaign which forced Allardyce to field Rhu-Endly Cuco Martina in the position without any immediate backup.
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Martina is better suited on the right than the left side of the field due to a lack of a dominant left foot. It would be wise to bring in players of Aanholt’s pedigree to quickly plug on the most obvious gaps in the Toffees lineup and the prolific full back, who can also play as a wingback, can be a good bet for Marco Silva, the new manager of Everton.
