Everton defender Seamus Coleman has claimed that the club will be looking to invest in a new right-back this summer.
The Republic of Ireland international is currently the only recognised player in that position at Goodison Park, after Jonjoe Kenny joined Schalke on loan earlier this week.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo [Wednesday, 13:25], Coleman said that Marco Silva will be thinking about adding a second-choice option in that area.
“I’m not getting any younger, there will come a stage where I won’t be in the teams, and that’s just life,” the defender said. “[Until then] I’ll keep fighting every single day in training.
“And you know, Jonjoe Kenny has just gone out on loan so you would imagine we’ll be trying to sign another right-back and, as I said, every single day in training I’ll fight and it’s the same with Ireland.”
OPINION
Coleman is bang on with these comments here. Everton definitely do need cover at right-back and it is important that they have another option in these areas. Coleman has been very reliable down the years for the Toffees, but, as he says, he is not getting any younger and so there will come a time where either Kenny is expected to step up into the right-back position – if he is kept on by Marco Silva or whoever is the manager when Coleman retires – or the Blues will have to invest in another player who can fill the role for a number of years. Someone like Lucas Digne would be good – not for the player himself but for the way he has come in and really nailed down the left-back spot at Everton. If Silva’s men can find someone like that, maybe someone young who can develop, then they will be a perfect replacement for Coleman, who has been a fantastic servant at Goodison Park.