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Everton to plump for second left winger in a matter of weeks

| 22.08.2016

Left wingers are Everton’s version of London buses this season. After looking likely to go through the campaign without a specialist in the position, two could arrive within weeks of each other.

Yannick Bolasie was the first through the door, signing from Crystal Palace for £25m. He could now be joined by Porto’s Yacine Brahimi if the latest media reports are to be believed.

According to Sky Sports, the Toffees are in talks with the Portuguese club about signing the 26-year-old, who made 28 of his 33 league appearances last season on the left flank.

The Algerian international was particularly productive in that time, contributing seven goals and a further eight assists for Dragoes as they finished the season in third place.

That return was consistent with the numbers from his debut 2014/15 Porto campaign in which he also struck seven times and recorded six assists in 28 league outings.

He is yet to make an appearance this term, as Porto have made a winning start to the season in their two assignments thus far.

The French-born forward has also been left out of Nuno Espirito Santo’s Champions League squad, so a move away from Estadio do Dragao looks extremely likely.

Sky Sports believe the player wants to switch to a side that has commitments in a European competition, but Everton’s new-found wealth could help dissuade him from that wish.

The Goodison Park side have already been relatively busy this summer, having signed Maarten Stekelenburg, Ashley Williams, Idrissa Gueye and Bolasie.

Aside from Brahimi, the Merseysiders also reportedly retain an interested in both Joe Hart and Lamine Kone.

With John Stones, Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert all departing Ronald Koeman clearly felt his newly inherited squad required some reinvigoration.

As a result it’s unlikely that Brahimi will be the last player linked with a switch.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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Author

Matt Wiggins

No idyllic sound comes close to leather on willow for Matt, whose previous experience includes stints with Spin Magazine and Surrey County Cricket Club. It's not just cricket that interests him though, with football, golf, tennis and any American sport not played on ice all high on his list of favourites.