An update has emerged on Everton and their plans to strengthen their squad before the January transfer window slams shut...

What's the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Toffees have discussed a possible deal to sign Udinese's star central defender Rodrigo Becao before tonight's deadline.

The report claims that Sean Dyche is looking to bring in players in multiple positions after the sale of Anthony Gordon to Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

It is stated that a defender is on the agenda for the club, hence the interest in Becao, and that Mason Holgate and Michael Keane are two players who could be on their way out of Goodison Park if the right offers come in.

Conor Coady upgrade

Dyche could land an instant upgrade on last summer's signing Conor Coady by striking a deal to sign Becao from the Serie A side in the coming hours.

Since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the 29-year-old England international has been a solid performer at the heart of the defence.

The ex-Liverpool academy graduate has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.83 in 18 appearances in the Premier League and has made 1.3 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst winning 57% of his individual duels.

Coady has been far from a liability for the Toffees so far this season but Becao's impressive form for Udinese in the Serie A suggests that the Brazilian could come in and offer a bit more quality heading into the second half of the season.

The 27-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.15 in the Italian top-flight across 14 appearances this term. He has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won an eye-catching 67% of his battles on the pitch, which suggests that the enforcer is a dominant defender who does not allow opposition players to get the better of him on a regular basis.

These statistics indicate that Becao, who journalist Bruno Quieroz once dubbed "insurmountable", could offer more than Coady in terms of his defensive output and the efficiency with which he carries out his actions in his own third, which is reflected in their respective average ratings.

Of course, the Brazilian warrior has not played in the Premier League before and there are question marks over whether or not he would be able to adapt to English football but the data is promising and suggests that signing him is a gamble that could end up improving Dyche's squad.