In a recent print edition, Gazzetta Dello Sport has provided an update on Everton‘s pursuit of Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira as they will now face competition from Watford and Norwich City in pursuit of the player. However, it has been reported that the German midfield ace finds a move to the EFL Championship ‘less appealing’ which would give the Toffees an advantage in the race to acquire his services during the January transfer window (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Khedira’s Diminishing Influence At Juventus
Khedira is yet to make an appearance for the Turin outfit this season and is currently surplus to requirements at the Allianz Stadium. He was a bit-part player for Juve last season when he participated in 18 matches while registering one assist in the process across all competitions.
The Stuttgart-born midfield enforcer struggled to perform at top gear in the previous campaign as he averaged 1.2 tackles, 0.3 interceptions, 0.9 clearances, 1.0 shots and 0.7 key passes per game in the Serie A. However, Khedira deserves credit for being careful when distributing possession from midfield after making 88.2% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
The former Real Madrid talent is in dire need of regular first-team minutes if he wants to make the most out of the remainder of his playing career. Hence, Goodison Park could be an attractive destination for Khedira to consider when the transfer window reopens at the start of next year as he could flourish playing under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti.
What Will The German Midfield Ace Bring To Merseyside?
Khedira is not shy of going in with a few hard tackles when required and can use his strong 1.89m frame to win a lot of headers for his side. He is an experienced midfielder who can still serve as a decent squad player for most top clubs in Europe.
The German sensation has also got the vision to play a decisive through ball to cut open the opposition defence in the final third. However, his goals and assists record has dried up over the past few years due to the lack of game time. Furthermore, frequent injuries have hampered Khedira’s career recently.
The 77-time German international is not getting any younger but could still serve as a decent short-term signing for Carlo Ancelotti’s side this winter. He will undeniably increase competition for places within the Toffees squad. However, the Merseyside outfit should only consider recruiting Khedira if they see him as a squad player. Otherwise, Ancelotti would be wise to scrap his plans for the Juve outcast and target someone young and more proven at the highest level.
At 33, the Serie A veteran is a serial winner and can turn out to be a shrewd option for Everton to call upon off the bench. However, Khedira might struggle to get into Ancelotti’s first XI as he will have to compete with the likes of Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies for a regular start at Goodison Park every week.
