Everton are turning their eyes towards the summer transfer window, as the Blues have been linked with a Premier League starlet.
With survival confirmed, Sean Dyche can place his focus on improvements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as the club must avoid a repeat of the previous two seasons.
In a year of struggle both on and off the field, Everton have had some shining lights, one being the performances of Amadou Onana, who could potentially remain at Goodison despite rumours suggesting his departure.
The latest transfer link could be an exciting one for Dyche should Onana remain a Toffee, as the Blues could swoop for an electrifying midfield partner for the Belgian.
What’s the latest on Shea Charles to Everton?
As reported by the Daily Mail, Everton are one of the clubs interested in Manchester City U21 midfielder Shea Charles.
The Northern Ireland international has gained interest from the Bundesliga, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund also rumoured to be “admirers” of the player.
The 19-year-old made his debut for City last weekend against Brentford as a substitute, and is contracted to the champions until 2027.
What could Shea Charles bring to Everton?
Pep Guardiola handed the teenager his first minutes for the first team last Sunday, as he played 27 minutes earning an impressive 7.0 Sofascore match rating in the process.
It was a difficult game for the champions who were defeated 1-0 away from home, however, the Spaniard was full of praise for the academy graduate after the fixture, hailing him as “so good” and “so composed” on the club’s official website.
It’s praise indeed from one of the greatest managers of all time, however, his compliments are supported by his impressive numbers, hinting that he has an exciting career ahead of him.
On his Premier League debut, the teen won 100% of his aerial duels, as well as four out of five of his ground duels in midfield, making four tackles and one interception in just under 30 minutes of play – as per Sofascore.
The Manchester-born ace, lauded as “terrific” by journalist Mark McIntosh, could be an exceptional future addition to Everton’s midfield, alongside the talents of Onana.
Goodison’s midfield gem has similar attributes to the City youngster, inspiring the thought that they could be a commanding duo in the middle of the park together.
The Belgian has averaged 2.60 tackles per 90 over the past year, as well as an average of 2.17 successful aerials per 90, placing him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues in terms of winning challenges in the air – as per FBref.
With Onana being just 21, and Charles only 19, Dyche could have a midfield pairing for years to come, in two players that are combative both in the air and on the ground, as supported by their numbers.
There are lots of indicators to suggest that Charles is ready to take the leap into senior football, not just through his performance on his debut, but his integral presence in City’s U21 side, starting in all 26 of his appearances in Premier League 2 – as per Transfermarkt.
Whether the player would be available to purchase permanently, or as a loan deal is yet to be discovered, however with such talent shown in his youth career, Dyche could unlock a generational talent in Everton’s midfield.
