Everton are reportedly set to battle Wolves for the free signing of Miguel Veloso, and it could be another stroke of genius from Marcel Brands.

What's the story?

According to Teamtalk, Everton and Wolves have both “shown interest” in the veteran midfielder, who is a free agent after opting not to renew his contract with Serie A side Genoa.

The Premier League window is of course closed, but Veloso could still sign for a Premier League side as he became a free agent before the window closed.

The 32 year-old can play as a midfielder or defender, and the report claims Marco Silva would like to add even more to his squad after an impressive late surge in the transfer market.

New director of football Brands has already worked his magic this summer, but getting an experienced, versatile and reliable international for free might just be his best move yet.

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Another Brands bargain?

Veloso is not going to set the league alight aged 32, and he probably wouldn’t even be first choice for Everton, but the 56-cap Portuguese international could play an important role in Silva’s squad.

Silva’s fast-paced and free-flowing football has hit the ground running at Goodison, but it will start to take its toll on the squad as the season wears on. Midfield depth is essential, and Veloso’s calmness in possession would be a valuable trait to have coming off the bench.

The midfield maestro has never averaged below an 80 per cent pass success rate over a full season throughout his career, and his last two seasons with Genoa he averaged well over one key pass per game.

He is just as solid without the ball as with it though, and his tough tackling will quickly endear him to the Goodison faithful. Averaging nearly two tackles and well over one interception per game throughout his career, his intelligence and game-reading ability means Silva could use him in defence as a last resort.

If Silva and Brands are seeking a reliable veteran to take pressure off the first eleven, control matches late on, and fly in with the occasional crunching tackle, then they really can’t go wrong with Veloso.

So, Everton fans, do you think the 32 year-old would be a good signing? Or would you rather stick with what you have? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…