Everton might be in the market for out of favour Inter Milan midfielder, Joao Mario who is currently being scouted by a spree of European clubs for a move by the end of January. The Nerazzurri might agree to a transfer deal if a favourable bid does arrive from the Premier League side.
The 25-year-old midfielder is one of the most absurd stories in the Serie A this season after being pegged as the next best player of the Portuguese national team. Mario’s rise to stardom can be attributed to his remarkable performance in the 2016 Euro Cup performance which led his country to the final trophy.
Well versed with both feet, the former Sporting Lisbon midfielder can play in the number ten role as well as in the holding midfield position. His impressive displays in the Primeira Liga with Lisbon earned him the £38.4m move to the San Siro where he became an instant hit with the fans.
However, the tide has turned in recent times and Luciano Spalletti no longer chooses to field the 25-year-old on regular occasions. With just 615 minutes of game time under his belt this season, a move is now more than ideal to resurrect his career in top-flight football.
Everton have invested heavily in the summer transfer window and with the 9th rank after 24 games in the Premier League, some of the transfers might not have worked out as expected. Gylfi Sigurdsson was one of the best-attacking midfielders in the Premier League during his days with Swansea City. The Iceland international was held to high praise from fans and pundits alike and his transfer to Goodison Park looked like the ideal step for the next stage of his career.
But he has been far from his impressive self this season and is still adjusting to the creative role from the flanks alongside Wayne Rooney.
Morgan Schneiderlin has also struggled to find his feet from the holding midfield role, with James McCarthy going down to a horrific injury last night against West Brom. The midfield has struggled to match up to the pace of the English game in terms of both distribution and defensive responsibilities and Joao Mario can be the perfect answer to the rising concern.
The squad has been bolstered offensively through the signings of Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun over the past couple of weeks and the Everton management should not shy away from the opportunity to sign the Portuguese magician. Shelling out the £1.2m loan fee might pay dividends now that the gruelling second half of the season is already upon us.
