In a recent report, The Daily Mail claimed that Everton are keen on recruiting Ashley Young on a free transfer this summer. It has been revealed that the Toffees are hoping to snap the English full-back up after he became a free agent in this off-season.
Young’s Impressive Form At Villa Park Last Season
Young put in some influential displays for Aston Villa in the previous campaign and served as an important member of their match-day squad. The 38-year-old scored one goal but failed to pick up an assist in 38 matches for the Villans last season across multiple competitions.
The veteran defender proved himself to be a reliable presence at the back based on his average of 1.7 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 2.1 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He even distributed possession relatively well after making 77.5% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
Young is currently a free agent which makes him a decent, cost-effective option for the Toffees to pursue in this ongoing transfer window.
What Will Young Bring To Everton?
Young is a tough-tackling full-back who can make a few timely interceptions for his team inside his half. He doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when needed and can deliver some decent crosses into the opponent’s penalty box.
The English talent is primarily a right-back but can also function as a left-back if told to do so. However, at 38, he has already entered the final stage of his playing career.
Hence, Young would only serve as a good addition to Everton‘s squad in the short term. We can expect him to bring more quality to Sean Dyche’s team and help the Toffees stay out of relegation trouble in the Premier League next season.
Young has got a wealth of experience under his belt and won’t have any trouble settling into life at Goodison Park. However, father time is slowly catching up with his game, so he won’t be a long-term fix to Dyche’s defensive problems at the Merseyside club. Still, it makes a lot of sense for Everton to acquire Young’s services on a free transfer ahead of the new campaign.
