Everton are reportedly fighting Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur to sign Udinese central defender Rodrigo Becao in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Summer talks

It was reported in the summer that the Goodison Park outfit were in talks to sign Becao, but a transfer fee could not be agreed with Udinese.

Instead, they brought in James Tarkowski on a free transfer from Burnley, and Conor Coady on loan from Wolves.

The Latest: January move?

As per Tutto Udinese, the Merseyside club are still interested in Becao ahead of January, in fact they are the 'most interested' team, fighting interest from Spurs.

Juventus are also mentioned as being in the mix, so it could be a three-way fight for the Brazilian once the window opens.

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The Verdict: Mina replacement?

After signing Tarkowski and Coady, it seems strange that Frank Lampard's side would go for another centre-back in January, but perhaps one could be on his way out of the door.

Inter Milan have recently been linked with a move for Yerry Mina in January, so Becao looks like a tailor-made replacement.

The six-foot-three colossus is certainly impressing this season, ranking in the 97th percentile for tackles amongst centre-halves in Europe's top five leagues, while he also ranks highly for touches on the ball, showing he has two sides to his game (FBRef).

If Mina or another centre-back is allowed to leave, then Becao could be a smart signing for the Toffees.