According to a report by The Telegraph, Everton are eyeing a double summer swoop to sign Gelson Martins and Matthijs De Ligt this summer. The Sporting CP winger and the Ajax centre-back are both quite promising and if the Toffees manage to complete the deals, they would go a long way in strengthening their forces ahead of the new season.
Interestingly enough, they might even land Martins for free. The Portuguese outfit have been embroiled in controversies ever since there were reports of the club’s supporters attacking the players during a training session.
As a result, as many as seven Sporting CP first-team stars have cancelled their contracts with the club and Martins is understood to be one of them. It remains to be seen how the situation plays out but Everton must capitalise on it and pursue a deal for Martins.
The pacy winger is capable of splitting open the toughest of defences with his well-timed runs. He has a flair for creativity as well, which makes him a force to reckon with in the attacking unit.
Over the course of the last season, Everton have lacked a pacy winger to a great extent. Theo Walcott’s arrival from Arsenal in January solved their woes for the time being, but to challenge for greater things, the Toffees must sign Martins as well.
The player thrives on the right-wing but if needed, he can also play as an attacking midfielder. Since Walcott joined Everton, he has played on the left-wing, the right-wing as well as in the role of an attacking midfielder.
With Gelson in the mix, new manager Marco Silva could deploy a potent attacking trio. Either Walcott or Yannick Bolasie could play on the left-wing, with Martins on the right and Cenk Tosun leading the line up front.
That would sort their attack but the Toffees must also strengthen their defence, and to do so, a move for De Ligt would prove to be excellent. The teenage defender has impressed one and all with his performances for the Dutch giants and he could bolster Everton’s forces at the heart of their defence.
The likes of Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka are on the wrong side of 30, while Cuco Martina hardly made an impact last season. The Toffees have Michael Keane at hand but a sensational talent like De Ligt would turn out to be a great partner for the former Burnley star.
Thus, Martins and De Ligt would solve a lot of Everton’s problems and their presence could truly help them break into the top-six next season.
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