Everton opinion: Why Everton should sign Alejandro Grimaldo
According to a report from the Daily Star, Everton are considering a move to sign Benfica’s highly-rated left-back Alejandro Grimaldo if Lucas Digne leaves in the summer.
Digne has had an incredible season with the Toffees since his move from Barcelona in the summer and Everton are worried that the Frenchman could be snapped up by a bigger club in the summer.
The report reveals that the Spaniard will be available for a fee of £20 million in the summer. If Digne does leave, Grimaldo would be an outstanding signing for Marco Silva’s side.
Digne has missed just 3 games in the Premier League this season and has been incredibly solid whenever he has played. The Frenchman has provided a brilliant balance between the attack and the defence on the left flank.
The former Barcelona and PSG full-back would be a huge loss if he were to leave in the summer, especially with Leighton Baines being 34. Grimaldo will be a like-for-like replacement for Digne and Everton shouldn’t think twice about a move for the Benfica full-back.
A product of the famous La Masia, Grimaldo possesses electric pace and is an incredible dribbler of the ball. The Spaniard is at times impossible to stop with his runs and despite being only 5 feet 7 inches tall, is incredibly strong.
Like most La Masia graduates, Grimaldo’s range of passing is astonishing. The 23-year old posses the brilliant ability to ping cross-field diagonals effortlessly. His crosses are more often than not accurate and his runs to get in behind the opposition defence is a massive asset to any side.
Grimaldo’s intelligence on the pitch at a relatively young age is highly commendable. The Spaniard understands his lacking in height so he positions himself a step or two away from the opponent in order to get onto the second ball rather than get caught out of position while attempting to win the first ball.
Grimaldo’s biggest trait, however, is his ability in set-pieces. Like Digne and Baines, the Spaniard could fill in the role of a freekick taker to brilliant effect. The 23-year old’s power, finesse and accuracy over the dead ball is outstanding and has scored 6 direct freekicks so far in his career.
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Conclusion
Everton should do everything that’s possible to hold onto to Lucas Digne but if they fail to do so, Alejandro Grimaldo is the perfect replacement. Grimaldo is very similar to Digne and would be an ideal option to replace the Frenchman and Everton shouldn’t think twice about making a move for him in the summer.