Everton need a solid defence to play the exciting football Marco Silva wants. To do that, he needs to sign Kurt Zouma, and that might just mean selling his partner Michael Keane.

Everton’s hit-and-miss season has been well documented and those two centre-backs aren’t immune from that criticism. Zouma has looked the more exciting of the two though, and it’s even more impressive considering he’s come back from a long-term injury. Keane hasn’t shone so bright.

They’ve both clearly got potential, but it seems like Zouma has a higher ceiling and would be the preference to keep if an option arose. Of course, the club would like to keep both, but they might not have the cash available to secure the Chelsea man on a permanent deal and sign attacking talents without selling Keane.

Spurs and Arsenal are reportedly interested in the ex-Burnley man despite Everton valuing him at £50m, according to the Daily Mail. If they can push a deal that big through, they could surely land Zouma and find a cheaper alternative to place alongside him.

Zouma is two years Keane’s junior, and it seems the effects of his injury and time out are starting to wear off. It’s important not to forget, without that, he’d probably be Chelsea’s first-choice centre-back at the moment.

Indeed, Everton can use him to help the team challenge for Europe and when it becomes clear to the big guns that he’s back on track to reach his potential, they can sell him for much more than the £50m Keane is supposedly worth, and certainly whatever they buy Zouma for.

He’s rated at £18m on Transfermarkt and if they can secure him for that, it’d be one amazing long-term investment and one Marco Silva would be delighted with, as the Times report he’s been told the club want him to stay.

It’d be shrewd business to sell Keane for such a large sum and buy Zouma for such a steal, so why not go for it and then spend the remaining cash on a much-needed, quality striker.

Everton fans, who do you think should start next season as your centre-backs? Join the discussion by commenting below.