Everton Transfers: Top 5 Central Midfield Targets
Everton manager David Moyes needs to sign a quality central midfielder who can string passes in midfield.
Even if Moyes plans to give Ross Barkley an extended run, it's imperative that Everton sign a reliable central midfielder.
Lewis Holtby would be ideal because he's an Everton supporter, but the Toffees' shoestring budget will be a major barrier to the deal becoming reality.
Just to give you a glimpse of the dearth of class in Moyes' midfield: Wolverhampton Wanderers had a higher overall ball-possession average than Everton last season.
Here are the top five central midfield targets for the Toffees.
5. Idrissa Gana Gueye, Lille, Age: 22
1 of 5Idrissa Gana Gueye spent most of the season watching and learning from Rio Mavuba, Florent Balmont and Benoit Pedretti.
When Gueye was given chances to shine, he took care of the ball by completing 88.9 percent of his passes.
His ability to win back possession even in limited minutes was noteworthy.
He could be to Everton what Lassana Diarra was to Portsmouth.
4. Elkin Soto, Mainz, Age: 31
2 of 5If Elkin Soto wasn't a late-bloomer, he'd be in Fredy Guarín's situation.
Soto won back possession 6.6 times per game while also being a creative threat.
It's a joy to watch him be so agricultural in the tackle, yet have the ability to maraud past several opposing players.
3. Gaetano D'Agostino, Siena, Age: 30
3 of 5Several years ago, Gaetano D'Agostino was one of the best midfielders in Serie A.
Nowadays, he's playing for Siena.
He doesn't shy away from the tackle, and his technical prowess will enable him to prosper in the Premier League.
However, it remains to be seen if he's willing to step outside his comfort zone.
The same can be said about Yasuhito Endō and Mohamed Aboutrika.
2. Joan Verdú, Espanyol, Age: 29
4 of 5Joan Verdú possesses wonderful passing ability—though he is a poor man's Xavi, which is why the 29-year-old never made the grade at Barcelona.
He orchestrates Espanyol's midfield by averaging 65.6 passes per game while also launching incisive diagonal passes.
1. Josh McEachran, Chelsea, Age: 19
5 of 5Chelsea didn't give Fabio Borini a chance, and now the Italian could haunt the Blues as a Liverpool player.
Josh McEachran has good football intelligence and wonderful passing ability, and he moves well without the ball.
Acquiring him on a loan deal is low risk, high reward for David Moyes.
Talking about young midfielders, he has to give Ross Barkley an extended run in the first team next season.
Here's some insight from Jimmy Lumsden about Barkley:
"He’s as good as anyone I’ve seen in the middle of the park, and could be anything he wants. He’s got the touch, the awareness on the ball and the flair.
Currently he’s filling out to be a big lad as well, which will help him play in the Premier League.
The Premier League is a very hard league to introduce young players to. If you are just below half way in the table you are perhaps looking with one eye at the bottom end and potentially getting sucked into that so it’s tough on young boys to bring them in then.
The boy had a couple of injuries which held him back but the boy has no worries now.
"
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