Everton are expected to be given the green light to sign right-back Djibril Sidibe on a permanent basis, according to Football Insider.
The Toffees have the option to buy the Monaco defender at the end of the season for a fee of £12m. The Frenchman has yet to comment on whether or not he will remain at Goodison Park beyond the current campaign. As per the Liverpool Echo, he did state that he was enjoying his time in England and felt that he had earned the confidence of his teammates.
Football Insider claimed that Carlo Ancelotti has been won over by Sidibe’s performances and believes that he is worth signing on a full-time basis. The Merseyside club find themselves in a similar position as where they were with Andre Gomes and are once again in pole position to retain his services for the long-term. With Seamus Coleman no longer a regular first-team starter and Jonjoe Kenny due to return from Schalke at the end of his loan, the Italian boss has a big decision to make.
With 15 Premier League starts this season, it is clear that Ancelotti likes the versatility of the Frenchman as he can play as a solid right-back or convert to a wing-back who can get crosses in. This has been evident during the current campaign as he has provided four assists and averaged two long balls per game, as per Whoscored. He has also been recognised by fans for his tackling during certain games this season and hailed by assistant manager Duncan Ferguson for his positivity with his passages of play.
Sidibe has been so crucial to this Everton side over the last six months; he has become almost indispensable and an obvious replacement for the ageing Coleman. With Kenny playing consistently in the Bundesliga, the 22-year-old could become a suitable backup for the France international in the squad.
At the price of just £12m, it is a steal for the Toffees. They have spent more on players that haven’t worked out at the club in the past like Oumar Niasse. As Sidibe has proved that he can cut it in the Premier League, it becomes almost a no-brainer to get him in as the club moves forward under Ancelotti. Well, if he remembers both of his socks, that is.
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