Everton opinion: Should the Toffees make a move for Thiago Mendes?
According to Daily Post, Everton have finally submitted an offer for Ligue 1 star Thiago Mendes. The Toffees have their very down defensive destroyer in Idrissa Gueye but the former Aston Villa man has been linked with a move to PSG.
Arguably one of their best players, Gueye has also been linked with a move to Manchester United.
Things will get complicated for the club and it’s time that Everton move on towards someone new, which is easier said than done. Everton’s N’Golo Kante, Idrissa Gueye is their lynchpin and without him nothing works at the club.
Sure, Morgan Schneiderlin has done relatively well since his move from Manchester United but the Frenchman is not the same man he was at Southampton. With the Saints, Schneiderlin was a defensive beast and more importantly, he was the personification of what a regista was supposed to be.
That was until the likes of N’Golo Kante, Lucas Torriera and Idrissa Gueye came in and broke the rules. However, the move to Manchester United like many post-Sir Alex signings effectively broke the now 29-year-old.
He arrived at Everton a shell of man and while he did improve a little bit, it’s not enough for a club like Everton, who are trying to challenge for a European spot.
It’s why they need Thiago Mendes to come in and rule their midfield. The 27-year-old has been among LOSC Lille’s best players this season, which is a big surprise given that Nicolas Pepe has been ruling the transfer market.
Versatile enough to play as a central or defensive midfielder, Mendes has been blessed with a wonderful blend of defensive and offensive abilities.
Considered to be a deep-lying midfielder much like Andre Gomes, the 27-year-old has the pace and athleticism to play as a box-to-box midfielder as well.
However, it’s defensively that Mendes really excels at, with him averaging 2.4 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, and 1.2 clearances per game.
That is over and above his 85% passing accuracy, 1.8 key passes and a rather impressive average of 56 passes per game. It shows how confident he is defensively and more importantly, just how well he recycles the ball.
It’s what Everton want, need and have to have next season, that is if the club ever want to beat their highest finish of 4th place in the Premier League.
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Conclusion
Everton have a long way to go before they are ever coming close to their rather lofty ambitions but the Toffees are on their way there. By adding Thiago Mendes, they will get one step closer to that goal and with a few more additions, they could challenge for a European spot.