According to a recent report from ESPN, Everton youngster Nikola Vlasic is interesting some of Italy’s biggest clubs. The 21-year-old is currently on the books at Goodison Park but is actually playing his football in Russia with CSKA Moscow this term, where he has shone repeatedly in the early phase of the campaign to thus stimulate interest in his services.

And that’s because the likes of Inter Milan and Roma are reportedly keen on the £9 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), with Everton manager Marco Silva’s decision to allow the winger to leave the club during the summer looking like a rare blunder in his otherwise exemplary start to life at Goodison Park.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it was always likely that the 41-year-old would make some changes to the Toffees squad during the close season after their struggles under Sam Allardyce last season, with it clear that certain areas of the squad were in need of reinforcements if they were to move to the next level under the Portuguese.

Thus, Silva was busy bringing in players but also letting several leave, with 21-year-old Vlasic one of many attackers the Portuguese sanctioned for a loan move away from Goodison Park to give him the chance of game time he was highly unlikely to get on Merseyside.

And the Croatia international has taken his chance with both hands by excelling in the Russian capital so far this season, netting five goals and laying on two assists in just 15 appearances for the club, two goals of which coming in their Champions League group stage campaign.

And with two goals in his last four Russian Premier League matches, Vlasic is also making a big impact domestically as well to underline what a shrewd addition he is proving to be for CSKA Moscow, at the same time emphasising what a mistake it was by Silva to let him leave.

Yes, the signings of Richarlison and Bernard certainly pushed Vlasic further down the attackers’ pecking order at Goodison Park during the summer, and with the likes of Theo Walcott and Ademola Lookman still at the club as well, Vlasic’s first team prospects looked pretty slim.

But with Brazil international Richarlison playing more centrally now given the club’s striking woes, alongside Walcott’s recent struggles for form, and the fact that Silva doesn’t seem convinced by replacing him with Lookman, there’s every chance that Vlasic could presently be competing for a first team spot - in fact, there are few Everton players in better form than the Croat, it just so happens that he is not currently at the club.

Ultimately, Silva deserves huge credit for making a very promising start to life at Everton, what with the Toffees seemingly heading in the right direction and playing a brand of football that has brought the excitement back to Goodison Park.

But with Vlasic doing so well in Russia, thus provoking interest from Italian heavyweights Inter and Roma, letting the 21-year-old leave does appear to be a rare blunder in the Portuguese’s otherwise exemplary start on Merseyside.

Everton fans… what do you think? Let us know!