The January transfer window officially slams shut on Monday of next week and Everton manager David Moyes could look to bolster his squad before the deadline.
He came in to replace Sean Dyche in the Goodison Park dugout earlier this month and has won two of his three Premier League matches in charge so far, beating Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Scottish boss, who is in his second spell at the club, is yet to make his first splash in the market since making his return to Merseyside, but still has a few days left to do so.
In fact, the Toffees are reportedly looking to bolster their squad before the end of the window and they have a Premier League player in their sights.
Everton's interest in Premier League defender
According to Turkish outlet Star, Everton are one of the teams plotting a deal to sign Kyle Walker-Peters from relegation-threatened Southampton.
Transfer Focus
His contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and the Star claims that the English right-back does not want to stay at St. Mary’s beyond the end of that deal.
It states that the Toffees are already in contact over a possible swoop for the former Tottenham Hotspur man, who would be available on a free transfer in the summer.
The report claims that Super Lig side Galatasaray are also interested in the defender and have already submitted an offer to sign him for a fee of £5m.
This suggests that Everton may have to push to sign the 27-year-old star in the current window, to avoid losing out to the Turkish giants, and they should do exactly that because he could come in as a big upgrade on Ashley Young.
Why Walker-Peters is an upgrade on Young
The Southampton defender, who can operate at right-back or left-back, has been a star for the strugglers in the Premier League this season, after he created 12 ‘big chances’ in 43 outings in the Championship during their promotion campaign last term.
Young has started 17 of his 19 appearances in the top-flight for the Toffees in the 2024/25 campaign and the former England international turns 40 in the summer.
Everton and Moyes could land his long-term successor by signing Walker-Peters, who is 12 years younger, either this month or in the summer window on a free transfer.
Appearances
21
19
Big chances created
4
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.0
0.2
Assists
2
3
Dribbled past per game
0.6x
0.9x
Duels won per game
4.4
3.8
Possession lost per game
9.9x
12.9x
As you can see in the table above, the Saints full-back has outperformed Young in a host of defensive and attacking metrics, despite playing for a team that has amassed just six points.
Walker-Peters, who was described as a “beautiful” footballer by ex-boss Russell Martin, has the dynamism and ability to offer more in transition, as shown by his dribbling numbers, whilst also being harder for opposition players to get past.
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He could come in as a big upgrade on Young, by winning more duels and being dribbled past less frequently, whilst also providing more quality offensively and as a ball carrier, which is why Moyes should push to bring him in as soon as possible.