According to Italian media outlet Tuttomercatoweb, if Everton appoint Carlo Ancelotti then it could increase their chances of bringing Steven Nzonzi to the club during the January transfer window, but they should avoid signing him at all costs.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the 31-year-old may well be up for grabs in the New Year having walked out on loan club Galatasaray and been indefinitely suspended, with manager Fatih Terim branding the 2018 World Cup winner as “disrespectful”.
Tuttomercatoweb report that Lyon manager Rudi Garcia is a fan of the AS Roma midfielder, who cost £27m in 2018 and is likely to learn his future in the coming days and weeks when he returns to the Italian capital.
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The report adds that the potential appointment of Ancelotti, which could happen before the end of the week according to Sky Sports, at Goodison Park could boost the Merseyside outfit’s chances of signing the 6 foot 5 colossus. Everton also wanted to sign him in the summer before he chose Champions League football with the Turkish giants instead.
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Avoid at all costs
History suggests Ancelotti would be getting his Everton reign off to a bad start if he brought Frenchman in during the upcoming transfer window.
Not only has he walked out on his current loan side and refused to return – being labelled as “disrespectful” in the process – but it isn’t the first disciplinary or bad attitude issue he has had during his playing career.
The France international handed in two transfer requests in the space of 12 months during his time with Stoke City in the Premier League, while he handed in one during his spells with Blackburn Rovers and Sevilla, too.
Sam Allardyce was another to criticise the then 21-year-old during his tenure at Ewood Park, while he also reportedly went AWOL from Roma during the summer.
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All of that adds up to Nzonzi not being a good egg, and is that what Everton really need right now in what has been a tumultuous season where they are very much fighting at the wrong end of the Premier League table? Certainly not.
There has been a real show of togetherness and unity among the players since Duncan Ferguson took caretaker charge, with committed performances on the pitch and everyone pulling in the same direction yielding four points from a possible six available.
Nzonzi is not the character the Toffees need right now then, and Ancelotti should avoid at all costs if he ends up taking the job.
In other Everton news, Moise Kean has reacted on Instagram to a post saying Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become the club’s new manager…
