Everton are poised to table a new contract offer to promising young midfielder Beni Baningime in a bid to fend off Manchester United, according to the Mail.
The newspaper claim the Congo-born anchorman, 19, has been attracting attention from other Premier League clubs, including United, after a string of impressive displays for Everton Under-23s.
The Mail report that Baningime is out of contract at Goodison Park next summer and the Merseysiders want to tie him down to a fresh agreement to stave off rival clubs.
OPINION
Baningime is the latest product of Everton’s flourishing academy who is destined for Premier League football. The senior team is going through a wretched spell, but the future is bright at Goodison, where the club are investing in the future as well as the present. Tom Davies, 19, has established himself as a key member of the first team, while Jonjoe Kenny and Matthew Pennington have made the journey as injured star Ross Barkley. In addition, the likes of Ademola Lookman, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Mason Holgate have made a big impact after joining as teenagers. Baningime is highly regarded at Everton and has been compared by Under-23s manager David Unsworth to Chelsea’s midfield juggernaut N’Golo Kante. That is high praise, and the club don’t want to lose him.