Everton seems to have lost the impetus they gained at the start of the season as they have slumped to a series of defeats in the Premier League in recent times. In fact, they have managed to win only one of their last eight matches, and that is a severe cause of concern for Marco Silva as his side is on the verge of slipping into the bottom half of the table.
The Toffees have looked weak in every department on the pitch, especially in the last couple of matches, and they have failed to restrict the opposition from scoring. Despite starting the season on a decent note with six wins in their first 13 matches, the Merseyside club have been unable to capitalise on that and are in dire need of reinforcements.
According to Daily Mirror’s live transfer blog on Sunday [07:22 pm], the Toffees are looking to add a new defender to beef up their backline in the January transfer window. The report also says that they are in the race to sign the Croatian international Domagoj Vida, who is on Fulham’s radar as well.
Marco Silva had started the season with Kurt Zouma and Michael Keane at the heart of the defence. However, the lack of experience was evident in their approach as they lost the ball easily and let the opposition score, which brought Yerry Mina into the fray. However, the Colombian, who is more of a ball-playing defender and likes to move up the pitch, has been ineffective in sustaining stability in the Everton backline and this is where a player like Vida comes into the picture.
The Croatian showed his pedigree in the World Cup 2018, where his stellar performances alongside Liverpool ace Dejan Lovren helped his side secure a berth in the final. The 29-year-old centre back not only impressed with his defensive prowess but also scored crucial goals for his team from set-piece situations. His ability to stick around with the opposition strikers and keep a check on them makes him an authoritative figure in the backline, which could come in handy for Silva.
Let’s face it. Michael Keane has looked under par this season except for a few matches here and there. Kurt Zouma is yet to come of age, and Yerry Mina’s inexperience at the big stage has resulted in Everton’s backline crumbling under pressure on most occasions. If an experienced campaigner like Domagoj Vida can be included into the side, it would provide a world of stability to the defence.
It is a very crucial time for the Toffees to use their money wisely and get utility players into the squad. The last few transfer windows have not seen any good player (barring Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Richarlison) arrive at Goodison Park. So Farhad Moshiri should now look for players who would justify his expenditure in the transfer market rather than the ones who spend most of the season sitting on the sidelines.
