Ancelotti changes tack with new Everton proposal for Barca defender
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly interested in bringing in Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo on loan to bolster his defensive options.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Toffees boss has shortlisted the 20-year-old as a target ahead of October’s transfer deadline.
Todibo spent the second half of the 2019/20 campaign on loan at Schalke, playing eight league games but failing to come out on the winning side in any of them.
The Bundesliga club had the option of turning the move into a permanent switch but ultimately decided against doing so, with the youngster suffering a groin injury post-lockdown.
After signing for Barcelona from Toulouse for £7.2 million in January 2019, the France youth player has made just five senior appearances for the Spanish giants.
One of those games was the club’s final Champions League group stage game against Inter Milan last season – a match they won 2-1.
Reports last week claimed that both Everton and Leicester City both fell short of Barcelona’s €25m asking price.
However the Liverpool Echo claims Everton are interested in a loan move for the defender. Barca boss Ronald Koeman is said to be adamant that there is no future for him at the Nou Camp.
Everton only have two fit centre-backs going into Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Fleetwood Town, with Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite both on the injury table.
Toffees pursuit of Tomori hits buffers
Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori has been linked with a move to Goodison Park in recent weeks.
However The Athletic (via Inside Futbol) reports proceedings have hit a snag, with centre-half Antonio Rudiger considering his future at Stamford Bridge.
Everton were on the cusp of clinching a loan deal for Tomori last year, before David Luiz left Chelsea for Arsenal.
Rudiger was left out of Frank Lampard’s match day squad for their game against Liverpool on Sunday and The Athletic adds states that the Blues boss is open to the possibility of the German leaving his set-up.
As such, he could opt to keep Tomori in London to avoid a selection crisis at the back.
