Everton 'want' to sign Roma midfielder who Jose Mourinho loved in Italy after Ipswich transfer rivalry

Everton are reportedly turning their transfer interest to Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove after multiple targets fell through.

Ipswich Town have completed a move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan and they are also in agreement over a move for Jens Cajuste, who Everton also had been linked with. Plus, Lesley Ugochukwu is close to agreeing a move to Southampton on loan - with all of these deals leaving Everton scrambling around in the market.

Another midfielder seems to be the target after Amadou Onana’s exit. This weekend will see either Abdoulaye Doucoure or 19-year-old summer signing Tim Iroegbunam start in James Garner’s absence and it’s clear another may be added. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, it could Roma’s Bove. The Italian journalist claims Roma are working hard to shift players ahead of the new season with Paulo Dybala also set to exit.

The 22-year-old came through their academy system and has played 92 times for the first team. He made 18 league starts last season but started just five of the last 13 games under Daniele de Rossi. Prior to that, he enjoyed a good run under Jose Mourinho, who praised him publicly after he managed the only goal to send them through to the UEFA Europa Conference League final - a tournament which they eventually triumphed in.

"Bove's growth is more the work of his parents, of his grandmother, than mine. He has extreme education, he has intellectual and academic training. He is a professional who seems to be 30 years old and then with the humility to grow little by little. Last year he came on the pitch at the end, this year he plays as a starter. He's grown emotionally. What I did is just my job which is to help him grow".

Profiled as a midfielder who is comfortable on the ball and able to cover large areas of the pitch, he offers a respectable defensive work-rate but would have to acclimatise to the far quicker and physical top-flight in England. However, making 3.11 tackles p90 is certainly something Sean Dyche could work with.