Everton reportedly closing in on €23 million left-back amid Lucas Digne links to Chelsea

Everton are reportedly closing in on a January move for Dynamo Kiev left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko.

And the link adds further speculation to Lucas Digne's future at Goodison Park.

Who is Vitaliy Mykolenko?

Mykolenko is a 22-year-old left-sided defender.

He has spent his entire career at Kiev, having come through their academy.

Mykolenko made his debut for the Ukrainian side in August 2018 and is now a regular starter.

He has also firmly established himself in the Ukraine set-up.

Mykolenko has won 21 caps in total and made four appearances at Euro 2020 - including featuring for 90 minutes in his country's 4-0 quarter-final loss to England.

What's been said

According to Playsport, it's said that Everton are edging towards a transfer for Mykolenko for €23 million.

In fact, the report claims that he 'will soon join the Premier League team' when the transfer window opens next month.

It's reported that Jose Mourinho's AS Roma are also keen on a swoop for Mykolenko.

However, the Serie A outfit are only willing to pay between €18-20 million.

How might this impact Lucas Digne's future?

Lucas Digne's Everton future has been thrown up in the air in recent weeks.

The France international established himself as the Toffees' first-choice left-back for the previous two seasons and is a fans' favourite.

However, Digne has been omitted from the past two match-day squads amid a reported falling out with manager Rafa Benitez over tactics.

According to Benitez, Digne was due to return to the starting line-up against Chelsea tonight but is now unavailable due to illness.

Digne's situation has supposedly caught the attention of Chelsea heading into January.

Thomas Tuchel's men have explored the possibility of a loan-to-buy for the ex-Barcelona defender, with Ben Chilwell currently sidelined with a knee injury.

How likely are Everton to seal a deal for Mykolenko?

Many fans would concur that an additional left-back in January was needed even before Digne's quarrel with Benitez.

The 28-year-old has been Everton's only senior option during the first half of the season after Niels Nkounkou was loaned out to Standard Liege.

Digne's not hit the heights he's capable of this season, though, and when he’s not been available, Ben Godfrey's been forced to operate as a makeshift full-back.

However, to seal Mykolenko for the price that's suggested, the Toffees will have to free up significant funds given their ongoing financial problems.

Everton were able to spend just £1.7 million during the summer as they sailed close to the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

If they're going to splash out a substantial fee then surely a prized asset will need to be sold.