Everton sounding out Premier League-winning keeper over move
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New Everton manager Ronald Koeman is trying hard to assert himself in the Goodison Park hotseat during his first transfer window in charge and his latest target provides hard evidence of that.
The Daily Mail report the former Southampton boss has identified Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as an ideal long-term replacement for Tim Howard, who has left for the Colorado Rapids after 10 years in possession of the Toffees gloves.
It’s certainly a bold play given the season that’s just passed for the 29-year-old Foxes number one and the fact he now has Champions League football to look forward to in 2016/17.
Nevertheless, Everton have ambitions of their own and with a new majority shareholder swelling the club’s coffers Koeman can go to Schmeichel with a lucrative deal on the table.
With the Premier League-winning stopper currently renegotiating his deal at Leicester, which has two further years to run, it seems like the time to steal a march is now or never from a Toffees perspective.
The Dutch tactician obviously sees the goalkeeping situation he inherits as an area of weakness.
Although 26-year-old Spaniard Joel Robles was installed as the recognised first choice after Howard announced his impending departure in January, it seems Koeman is unconvinced of his abilities.
Maarten Stekelenburg has already arrived at Goodison from Fulham to increase the options, but neither man is seen as the high-profile stopper Koeman is intent on signing.
Having quickly moved to seal the services of Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster when taking the reins at St Mary’s in 2014, it’s a position the former Barcelona midfielder holds in high regard.
According to other widespread murmurings, Belgium international midfielder Axel Witsel will be next through the door at Everton for a whopping £28m fee.
With the club showing the kind of ambition in the transfer market, Witsel’s arrival could have a domino effect on others tempted to join the Koeman revolution.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
