Everton fans in the Transfer Tavern have endured a torrid week following their side, with defeats against Tottenham and Atalanta leaving Ronald Koeman with much to think about over the coming days.
The Toffees were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs last weekend to condemn them to a second consecutive Premier League loss, yet the Europa League on Thursday gave them an opportunity to rediscover some form after a testing few weeks.
Yet Koeman’s men produced a limp and lethargic display to lose 3-0 to Serie A outfit Atalanta, with three goals in the 18 minutes leading up to half time enough to see off the Merseyside club, and leave them in disarray ahead of their trip to Premier League table-toppers Manchester United on Sunday.
However, there has been some good news for our resident Evertonians this week, and that’s because the club are reportedly interested in Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston, who has been in the news this week after a fiery spat with Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar during their Champions League clash on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old has shot to prominence in the last few months and appears to be attracting interest from Koeman’s Everton, as the Toffees chief identifies reinforcements ahead of the reopening of the transfer window in January.
There’s little doubt that Ralston has quality and much potential, and here are THREE reasons why Everton must get a deal done for the defender in the New Year…
Building for the future
With Leighton Baines 32 and Ashley Williams 33, as well as 35-year-old club captain Phil Jagielka, Koeman will have to continue thinking for the future in the coming transfer windows to deal with his ageing backline.
The arrival of Michael Keane during the summer was a step in that direction, and landing 18-year-old Ralston would also be another indication that the Dutchman is building for the future at Goodison Park.
Ultimately, Everton want to be challenging the top six and thus for the European places, and with a new stadium on the way in years to come, they will want to be in a position to challenge when they move in.
And landing top talent like Ralston now will help bed him into the football club and improve as a player, ready in time for Everton’s charge at the top six in the Premier League.
Koeman trusts youth
The likes of Mason Holgate, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Tom Davies all appeared regularly in Everton’s first team last season, underlining the trust Koeman places in the youngsters at Goodison Park.
It was also the Dutchman that brought the supremely talented Ademola Lookman to the club back in January to demonstrate his willingness to give them a chance, and the vast majority have been in and around the first team this term to emphasise their ability, and the manager’s trust.
Koeman deserves great credit for doing so, and landing Ralston would be further indication of the former Southampton manager’s plans for both the present and the future at Goodison Park.
Options needed when in Europe
Ultimately, Everton’s squad is not the biggest in the Premier League, and their Europa League commitments are going to seriously stretch them as the season wears on.
The Toffees have got a team good enough to go deep in the competition, but questions have to be asked about the squad depth, yet landing Ralston would give them another option in the right-back department.
It remains to be seen how quickly Seamus Coleman gets back to his best upon return from his broken leg, so having someone like Ralston, who played in the Champions League for Celtic earlier in the week, within the squad gives them options that European football demands.
