Supporters of Everton have been left delighted by Nicolo Schira’s update on the club’s transfer interest in signing Gabriel Magalhães.
According to the journalist, a contract agreement between the Toffees and the Brazilian defender has been reached for a deal until 2025 and now terms only need to be finalised with Lille (via Everton News Feed), which had fans delighted. Indeed, this update came after the same journalist originally stated that the Toffees were in talks to sign the South American.
?An agreement between Everton and Defender, Gabriel Magalhães has been made with a contract until 2025. Everton will now work to finalize the deal with Lille
(Source – @NicoSchira ) pic.twitter.com/badqgYECXe
— ??? ?????? ????? (@EvertonNewsFeed) March 25, 2020
Get in!
— Cole (@NSNOcole) March 25, 2020
quality signing this! great to see a signing getting completed early..
— willzy91 EFC ?? (@jarrodwills) March 25, 2020
I hope this is how we’re doin our business now instead of deadline day ????
— G.sh (@GerardShields81) March 26, 2020
If Everton sign Gabriel Magalhães in the summer, should Michael Keane be sold?Yes, we wouldn't need him
No, he provides squad depth
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This season, Magalhães has been the fourth-best performer in Ligue 1 for his club, with a solid 6.93/10 average rating (per WhoScored).
The defender has earned the impressive rating over 24 appearances in the French top division this term (per WhoScored), leaving fans in anticipation of his supposedly impending arrival.
I dont no a lot about the lad if honest is he any good ,good deal if were getting things done now
— mick mckeown (@mickmckeown80) March 25, 2020
Be a superb signing if we can pull it off. Bit of good news
— Graeme McVeigh (@GraemeMcV) March 26, 2020
??
— Brendan Markey (@markey_brendan) March 25, 2020
What do we think?
While supporters were delighted with the deal edging closer, when in comparison to one of the club’s current centre-backs, Michael Keane, the 22-year-old defender’s strengths and weaknesses become apparent.
On the tackling front, Lille’s defender does well, with 1.7 on average per Ligue 1 game (per WhoScored), whereas Keane has only 1.1 in the Premier League (per WhoScored).
However, Everton’s English defender actually performs better with interceptions, having made 1.3 per Premier League game this term (per WhoScored), whereas Magalhães has only had 0.9 in Ligue 1 (per WhoScored).
Therefore, whether he would improve the Toffees defence in the long run remains to be seen.