Everton identify defender for January swoop

Everton are reported to be ‘working hard’ on signing Feyenoord’s young centreback Terrence Kongolo. The youngster has been raising eyebrows for a couple of years now and almost left the club this last summer with Southampton and Stoke City leading the pack.

However, according to Italian media source TuttoMercatoWeb, it’s the Toffees who have the upper hand in dealings with the club now with a view to a January switch.

Kongolo, who can also play left back, is rumoured to be carrying a £10million price tag which is extremely reasonable for a starting calibre centreback.

The 22-year-old has made 152 appearances at various levels for Feyenoord who he joined as a boy, including playing in the Champions League qualifiers as well as the Europa League.

Of Congolese descent but a Dutch national, Kongolo has three international caps for the Netherlands, and 32 youth international appearances with 2 goals. He should fit in just fine with Lingala-speaking Everton players Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Bolasie.

Blues manager Ronald Koeman will be pleased to have a young defender that can control the ball and play it out of the back - with John Stones departure, he is left with two aging centrebacks in Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams, with Ramiro Funes Mori at 25. Mason Holgate has played more of right back and Tyias Browning has yet to regain match fitness under Koeman.

WhoScored.com