Everton Football Club must operate carefully in the 2024 summer transfer window. They are in danger of once again breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, for which they were punished last season, which cost them points and could have easily resulted in their relegation from the top flight.

The Toffees had a total of eight points deducted last season as a result of their rule-breaking, which was broken down into two separate instances, of six points in November and two points in April. Their first deduction was originally ten points, but Everton appealed and had it reduced to a punishment of two points.

In the end, the deduction did not have too much of a bearing on their overall league standing. Sean Dyche’s men finished a comfortable 14 points clear of 18th place Luton Town, who faced the drop at the end of the season. Everton’s 40 points saw them finish 15th and comfortably survive in the end.

Alas, they must now put last season behind them, and look to climb the table to improve Everton’s standings in the Premier League. They have already completed two deals, and have been linked with several new players this summer. A recent report suggests they could look to sign a prominent first-team player from one big top-flight side.

Everton target Premier League defender

The player in question here is Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 26-year-old has struggled to nail down a spot under Erik ten Hag so far in his tenure and could depart Old Trafford if the right offer comes in this summer.

According to Graeme Bailey, Everton are 'interested' in bringing Wan-Bissaka to the club, as the player enters the final year of his contract at Old Trafford.

Bailey explains that Wan-Bissaka’s future at United is currently unclear', with Everton ready to pounce should he be made available for transfer.

Any deal between the two clubs for United’s number 29 might not be the only business they conduct with each other this summer; the Red Devils want to sign Jarrad Branthwaite off Everton, with the Toffees thought to be interested in Victor Lindelof as a replacement.

A price has not yet been named for the Englishman, although United could well hope to recoup much of the £50m they spent on Wan-Bissaka back in 2019. However, CIES Football Observatory values him at just £12.6m.

Why Wan-Bissaka would be a good signing

The 26-year-old defender featured 30 times in total for United last season, which included 22 appearances in the Premier League. He registered three assists, including one in the Champions League and one against Liverpool in domestic action. Wan-Bissaka also showed impressive versatility in his game, playing seven times at left-back, a largely unfamiliar role.

If there is one standout aspect of Wan-Bissaka’s game, it is his supreme one-vs-one defending ability. In fact, football analyst Ben Mattinson described the right-back as “one of the best 1v1 defenders", high praise for such a tough skill to master.

This was further backed up by Mattinson’s fellow football analyst H, who explained that the 26-year-old “can simply lock up any single player in the world”, before explaining he has “an attribute every team in the world would want”.

The way the United star uses his long legs to hook the ball away from defenders is so effective. He never overcommits to a slide tackle, just gambles, reaches around the opponent’s legs and hooks the ball away from them with ease. Rarely will you see the Man United defender concede a needless foul, almost always winning the ball back. As some allude to, he is one of, if not the best around at defending in one-vs-one scenarios.

Indeed, his defensive numbers on Fbref are extraordinary, and highlight just how well he reads the game. The former Palace man averages 2.30 interceptions per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe, as well as 4.25 combined tackles and interceptions, ranking him in the top 4%. The Englishman also ranks in the top 4% for clearances per 90, with 3.48.

% of dribbles tackled

74.1%

Shots blocked

0.68

Ball recoveries

4.88

Tackles and interceptions

4.25

Interceptions

2.30

Clearances

3.48

Where big question marks could be drawn surrounding Wan-Bissaka’s overall game is his attacking play. He averages just 3.93 progressive passes per 90, ranking him in the 60th percentile, and plays an average of 0.63 key passes, placing him as low as the 20th percentile. He is not terrible going forward, but there are certainly better options in that sense.

With that being said, in an Everton side that concedes a lot of possession, his defensive responsibilities might well outweigh his attacking requirements, thus making this a worthy investment.

Should the Toffees get this deal over the line, Wan-Bissaka could be an ideal replacement for club legend Seamus Coleman. The Irishman ranks sixth on the list for most Everton appearances of all time, but at 35 years of age, will likely depart the club in the next year or so. His current deal expires in 12 months.

Thus bringing Wan-Bissaka to the club would be an excellent investment for Everton. Not only are they are replacing Coleman in the long term, but they signing someone who will be a starter immediately, and likely a crucial player for the club.

Dyche did not really have a first-choice right-back last season. Coleman played 12 times in the league, with Scottish defender Nathan Patterson making 20 appearances, and former United player and Premier League legend Ashley Young also slotting in at right-back on 12 occasions.

Wan-Bissaka goes a long way to solving this issue, given his talent and quality defensively, plus the longevity he has, being just 26. It certainly seems like a great move for all parties, and it enhances Everton’s quality at the back and further increases their chances of survival for another season.

Everton enter race for £13m "wonderkid" who's the perfect Onana partner

The club are eyeing reinforcements despite their financial woes.

ByEthan Lamb