Everton could be ready to battle for a European star in January…

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According to Torino Granata, the Toffees are one of two Premier League sides vying to sign Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic.

It is expected that following his World Cup campaign with Serbia he will assess his options, with Leeds United also pushing for his signature.

With reported friction between the player and club following contract talks, another source suggests it will cost around €15m (£13m) to secure his services.

Ditch Gueye

Although he starred in his first few matches after returning, Idrissa Gana Gueye has at times shown his age with a few silly mistakes in midfield.

This was highlighted in their loss to Manchester United, where he was handed an abysmal 5.8 SofaScore rating and made one error that led to a goal after being caught lacking by the Red Devils' midfield.

The 33-year-old offers a fine option for Frank Lampard, but he must look for fresher options than the Senegal international.

In Lukic, the 44-year-old would gain a fine all-around midfield ace who could offer a slightly increased offensive presence than Gueye does.

There is definitely space beside Amadou Onana for someone with more attacking impetus, and with 1.0 shots and 1.0 key passes per game, the Serbian could be just that man.

That's not to suggest that he shirks his defensive responsibilities, as he also averaged 0.8 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game too.

Labelled an “excellent midfielder” by teammate Gleison Bremer, he proves this with consistently reliable displays in Serie A. The 26-year-old is boasting an average SofaScore rating of 6.95, which actually outperforms the 6.87 of Gueye too.

What further outlines him as a brilliant asset to have in the engine room is his pass accuracy, which averages out to 89%.

Although it might seem a bold option to drop the ageing Goodison Park hero, many would agree that time has certainly caught up with him since he first left for Paris Saint-Germain all those years ago.

He has plenty left to offer the Merseyside club, but Lukic would provide a fine option to ensure that he does not have to be relied upon solely given his age.