Everton working to close deal for “incredible” £41m star

Everton laboured their way to defeat on the opening day of the Premier League season, losing at Elland Road to newly-promoted Leeds United.

Contentious penalty or not, David Moyes will be frustrated with his outfit’s lack of coherence and bite in the final third, especially after a drab opening half.

Might a few more signings be in order? Perhaps so. But Everton are “on it”, as Moyes says himself, and further than a week of transfer window terrain stretches in front of the Hill Dickinson Stadium, which awaits further fresh faces.

Marquee man Jack Grealish has been welcomed to the fold, with raw striker Thierno Barry, 22, also touted for big things.

But more is needed.

Everton’s late-stage transfer targets

Everton desperately need a right-back, and a right-sided forward too. Lyon’s Malick Fofana, a versatile winger, has been touted as a player of interest.

However, Everton would be remiss not to consider other areas too, with depth, or a lack thereof, appearing a glaring concern at the moment.

That’s why one notable Everton insider has revealed that Everton are working on a deal to sign Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, perhaps in response to Jarrad Branthwaite’s recent hamstring injury.

Everton have a good relationship with the Etihad Stadium side and have already completed a loan deal for Grealish this summer. They must now use this line of communication to complete a shrewd swoop for the experienced Ake.

Why Everton want Nathan Ake

Left-back Vitalii Mykolenko missed the season opener with a fitness problem, heightening the need for reinforcements. Ake, who operates across the backline, would be a fantastic addition in this regard, covering and challenging the established starters.

A dynamic defender, Ake has been hailed for his “incredible” efforts in a City shirt by Pep Guardiola, having played 145 times for the club, scoring ten goals, since joining from Bournemouth five years ago in a £41m package.

However, his match action dried up last year, in part because of injuries, and with Guardiola’s recent comments regarding a desire for a slimmer squad, the Toffees must pounce on the 30-year-old Dutchman, in doing so, replicating what might turn out to be fantastic business for Grealish.

Grealish was in a similar boat as a Citizen, having been pushed toward the periphery over the past couple of years in Manchester, consequently missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, a decision that polarised England’s football community.

At Everton, he has the chance to shine once again, and showed flashes of his quality on a dour evening in Leeds on Monday night, taking some smooth touches and fizzing a dangerous delivery into the penalty area across his second-half cameo.

That crossing ability could play to Ake’s strengths. The Netherlands defender is renowned for his aerial ability and would add a dimension to Everton’s threat from set-pieces.

Moreover, he would add depth to Moyes’ build-up play, with a passing game fit for a transitional approach. Data from FBref reveals Ake ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90.

If Everton pull this off, they will be repeating a move for Grealish that holds so much promise. Adding such talents to his team, Moyes is demonstrating a tactical acuity that suggests he wants to widen the scope of Everton’s potential. He might just succeed by completing a deal for Ake.