The Times (subscription required) has recently revealed that Everton centre-back Michael Keane is set to be offered a new contract after the club began discussions with the player over a fresh deal this summer. It has been reported that the English defender was a subject of recent interest from Barcelona which has seen the Toffees waste no time in their attempts to tie Keane down to a new long-term contract.
Keane’s Impressive Form At Merseyside Last Season
Keane managed to establish himself as one of the top performers in Carlo Ancelotti’s first-team in the previous campaign. He formed a dominant defensive partnership with Yerry Mina at the back and scored two goals in 34 appearances for the Toffees across multiple competitions.
The 27-year-old didn’t give away too much defensively and averaged 1.0 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.9 long balls and 4.8 clearances per game in the Premier League last season. He looked assured when in possession of the ball as well after he made 82.8% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
The former Manchester United player is slowly turning himself into a class act in defence but needs to find more consistency with his all-around performances if he wants to be successful at Goodison Park in the future. For now, Ancelotti seems to have the right formula of getting the best out of him on the defensive end of the pitch.
What Will The English Defensive Ace Offer On The Field?
Keane is a decent tackler and has the tenacity to earn the ball back for his side. He can even position himself ideally so that he can deal with the danger at the back. The ten-time England international could also serve as a good ball-playing centre-half which makes him such a valuable member of Ancelotti’s match-day squad. However, he can sometimes get exposed in the games against high-calibre opposition, so his mentality needs to be stronger if he wants to become a household name in England someday.
Keane Penning A New Deal: Good Move For Everyone Involved?
Sorting out his long-term future could help the English defender focus on matters on the field, which will aid his progression at Merseyside in the long-run. Ancelotti has so far proven himself to be the perfect man to get the best out of Keane, so the talented centre-back will be under good hands at Goodison Park in the coming seasons.
At 27, the Manchester-born player is about to enter the prime stage of his career. Therefore, the Everton supporters can expect to see the best out of him as long as he can maintain a clean bill of health. Keane has found a good home since joining from Burnley back in 2017 while the Toffees have been fortunate to have a solid centre-back like him in their ranks over the past few seasons. All in all, if the English tackler ends up agreeing to a fresh contract, then it will be a move that will benefit both the player and the club in the long-run.
