According to a report from Corriere dello Sport via Sport Witness, Everton and Chelsea look set to lock horns over exciting Serie A defender Marash Kumbulla this summer – with both clubs having ‘informed themselves‘ about the Albanian.
Kumbulla, who has started 18 league games for Hellas Verona this season, is seen as an exciting young prospect with a commanding presence and a ‘towering frame‘ according to a scout report from the Evening Standard. The 20-year-old has attracted praise this season with a string of ‘impressive displays‘ as European clubs continue to monitor his progress in Serie A. Kumbulla has also guided his side to noteworthy results recently, having shut out title challengers Juventus long enough to secure a 2-1 comeback win nearly two weeks ago.
Now, with this latest report indicating that Everton and Chelsea are both monitoring the defender, Verona will be looking to cash in on his signature as much as possible – with his current valuation being £25.1 million. Compared to current Toffees centre-back Yerry Mina, Kumbulla has averaged more tackles on average this campaign (1.8) whilst making more interceptions (1.8), as per WhoScored.com – meanwhile, the Colombian wins more offsides per game (1.1) and clears his lines more often (3.7). This could potentially highlight how adept they would be as a centre-back pairing at Goodison Park.
At just 20-years of age, Kumbulla seems like a hot prospect for the future – with his seemingly bargained valuation of just over £25 million looking like a real incentive to buy, especially in today’s football financial climate. If the Toffees are serious about a swoop for him, they will have to act quickly and hope his price doesn’t sky rocket as he continues to impress.
Everton fans, would you take Kumbulla at Goodison? Join the discussion by commenting below…
