3 positions Everton can strengthen in January after Friedkin Group takeover including bargain £10m attacker

Everton will hope the impending takeover from the Friedkin Group will allow for a flurry in the transfer market in January.

The mid-season window is always a chance for teams to breathe fresh life into a squad, whether it is adding depth or bringing in a key starter, anything could turn the tide and change a club’s fortunes. Especially for a side like Everton who are still currently in the lower depths of the league table.

We’ve seen plenty of transfer links for Everton as they have a clear desire to strengthen their squad, the issue is that finances have meant they have missed out on a lot of targets. However, if the Friedkin Group can complete their takeover before the January window then they could be in line to fund some January moves. Given there is reports of Beto being targeted by Juventus and there’s still no movement on the future of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s contract and the right-back role continues to be a problem, the upcoming window could solve some issues. Therefore, we’ve decided to look at three areas Everton could strengthen in January.

Right-back

With Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson missing most of the season so far, it has meant we’ve seen Ashley Young and James Garner fill in with mixed results. Given the strength of the Premier League, having such a glaring positional issue is a huge handicap and the club should look to find a suitable addition.

Therefore, we’ve identified summer target Lorenz Assignon from Rennes as a potential option. Linked in the summer, reports claimed there was a potential loan with an option-to-buy discussed and with the 24-year-old boasting similar stats to Fulham’s Antonee Robinson - one of the league’s best full-back performers - they could revisit this interest once again.

Attack

We previously reported on the potential of Everton signing Champions League attacker Silas who is on loan at Red Star Belgrade from Stuttgart. According to the reputable Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany, Silas has a release clause of ‘around €10m’.

Everton do have options on either wing but with McNeil playing down the centre and Iliman Ndiaye likely to pick up knocks, he could be a smart addition given there isn’t anyone in the squad who has his dynamism or power in a wide position. For the price involved, it could be an easy deal to secure.

Where else?

Other reports have put Everton in line with centre-back Joyskim Dawa, as his current contract includes a release clause of around £4million. He has caught the eye for his performances in the Europa League with Steaua Bucharest and the 28-year-old could add depth with question marks over Jake O’Brien and Michael Keane.