Marcel Brands has been handed a huge boost in Everton’s hunt for Carlo Ancelotti’s £13million target Torino defender Gleison Bremer.
What’s the word?
According to Tuttosport, via Football Italia, Everton and Fulham will contend for Bremer’s signature in the upcoming January window, where the 23-year-old has keen admirers in Ancelotti and former Torino teammate Ola Aina.
Ancelotti is understood to be a big admirer of the up-and-coming centre-half, who has started six of Torino’s seven Serie A fixtures this season and helped his side to keep one clean sheet as they sit above the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Torino are loath to lose the Brazilian they signed for €6.5million (£5.8m) in 2018 and intend to offer the Clube Atletico Mineiro product a new contract, which will likely see Bremer earn an increase on his current €500,000-a-year (£8,625-p/w) terms.
Ancelotti’s interest has “flattered” Bremer, who was linked with a potential move to Goodison Park by Football Insider in September as a potential alternative to Chelsea’s Fikayo Tomori. SportItalia, via Football Italia, also alleged Fulham were ready to make an approach following the capture of Aina.
It remains to be seen if Everton do revive Ancelotti’s interest Bremer – who is valued at between €10m and €15m (£8.9m and £13.4m) by the CIES Football Observatory – come the January window, having acquired Ben Godfrey from Norwich City in an initial £20m deal this summer.
Forget Godfrey
Bremer was touted as a potential alternative to Tomori this summer as Ancelotti strived to sign a fourth centre-half, to offer added competition for Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate.
The Italian ultimately signed Godfrey, but the Canaries product has struggled to make an impact at Goodison Park, with just one start from two Premier League appearances of which both came at full-back in place of the injured Seamus Coleman.
Though Ancelotti could look to sign added competition for places in January given the continued links with Bremer, who The Athletic have suggested would make a suitable data-backed target for Liverpool following Virgil van Dijk’s injury.
They claim Bremer is a defence-first centre-back who has a great read of the game, is aggressive in intercepting possession and among the very best tacklers in Europe through his 88% career duels rating.
Bremer lacks somewhat in set-piece scenarios and open play headers, but shines with the volume of duels attempted and the quantity at which he aims to interrupt the opposition’s play.
If Bremer is able to successfully bring his style of defending to the Premier League, and make the strides expected of him, Godfrey may find himself pushed even further down the pecking order and question why he ever joined Everton.
AND in other news, Everton have reached a decision on the future of a “quality” but rarely-seen £4.5m-rated talent.