Are Blues back in for Bruno?

It wouldn't be a summer transfer window without Everton being linked with Bruno Martins Indi. Like Juan Riquelme and Ever Banega, the Dutch defender is fast entering Toffees folklore as a player we are always associated with.

Martins Indi was first mentioned during the Roberto Martinez era, and that chatter only got louder when his countryman Ronald Koeman took over at Goodison Park. Now, with Ramiro Funes Mori facing an extended layoff, the rumour mill has been kickstarted once again.

The defender spent last season at Stoke on loan from his parent club Porto, but inexplicably the Potters failed to activate his permanent transfer clause of £8m despite the Dutchman being arguably their best defender of the campaign.

Stoke remain in negotiations for the player with the transfer fee now having climbed past that mark, and Crystal Palace are also in the running with Sky Sports reporting that the player was undergoing a medical in London last week, something the Stoke side refutes.

WhoScored.com

Everton's need for a left-sided central defender who can also play left back is getting to the critical stage now. Koeman used a back-three formation often last season and would like to have some starting calibre backup at the position. With Funes Mori still out, he is only going to have Holgate as a substitute center half if Phil Jagielka, Michael Keane and Ashley Williams make up the backline.

With talks at a seemingly advanced stage, it does appear that the Toffees are not really in the running for the 25-year-old at this time.