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It has been reported by Basque news outlet noticias de Gipuzkoa that Everton are the club most interested in Real Sociedad centre-back Diego Llorente, who is also on the radar of Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
The report states that the 25-year-old has a €50m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, although Real Sociedad won’t ‘refer’ to it as he seeks a move away from La Liga.
The Toffees are seemingly in the market for a centre-back with veteran Phil Jagielka’s contract set to expire soon, and loan hero Kurt Zouma returning to Chelsea.
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It may be hard to get the Frenchman back on a permanent deal as the Blues have been hit with a transfer ban, but it isn’t impossible.
So, should Everton push on with their pursuit of Llorente, or put all their eggs into the Zouma basket? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…
Matt Dawson
“I’ve heard some very good things about Llorente but it remains to be seen whether he’d cut in the Premier League. Zouma, on the other hand, is a proven top-flight central defender. He improved Everton’s defence significantly this term and developed a solid partnership alongside Michael Keane. Therefore, the Toffees must do everything they can to bring him back to Goodison.”
Jack Saville
“With a history of playing for Real Madrid, it’s clear that Llorente fits the Brands profile. We’ve already seen through Zouma, Andre Gomes and Lucas Digne that he is keen on targeting players with rich footballing backgrounds, so it’s no surprise to see him lining up another coup for the club. But after watching Zouma enjoy such a brilliant season at Goodison, the club must do everything in their power to land him on a permanent basis. If Chelsea refuse to sell due to the restrictions of their transfer ban, however, Llorente would be a perfect alternative.”
Harry Sherlock
“Zouma knows Everton inside out and Everton know him. The only drawback here is Chelsea’s potential transfer ban, with the Blues potentially deciding to keep him in their squad for the 2019-20 season. As it is, he’d be the better addition than Llorente but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a back-up. If Maurizio Sarri and co decide to play hardball, Everton may have no other choice but to land the Spaniard.”
