According to reports in the Daily Mail, Huddersfield Town have made an approach to sign Monaco defender Terence Kongolo during the January transfer window.
The 23-year-old only joined the Ligue 1 holders from Feyenoord in the summer, but he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by and is set to leave the club on loan, with the Daily Mail saying the Dutchman is open to a Premier League move.
Terriers boss David Wagner obviously feels that even though his team are in 11th position and currently lie six points above the relegation zone in the English top flight, the fact that they have conceded 32 goals in their 21 matches so far this term means they need strengthening at the back.
Meanwhile, Everton are two places and three points above Town following a positive start to life under Sam Allardyce – despite a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday – but they have let in the same number of goals as Huddersfield.
Defence may well be a position that Allardyce looks to strengthen in the New Year, and bringing Kongolo to Goodison Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Everton must hijack Huddersfield’s bid to sign Kongolo…
They need defensive reinforcements
Despite a marked improvement at the back since Allardyce took charge in November, the former England manager will still likely see the defence as a priority area that potentially needs strengthening during the January transfer window.
With the likes of Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams getting no younger, Cuco Martina unlikely to be a first-choice option in the long-term and Michael Keane struggling for form, the Toffees need to start looking to the future and the 23-year-old Kongolo could be the perfect addition to their backline.
His qualities
While he has only made six appearances in all competitions for Monaco this season, Kongolo showed his defensive qualities for Feyenoord last term.
According to WhoScored.com, Kongolo won 52 of the 59 tackles he attempted in 27 appearances in the Eredivisie and Europa League for the Dutch side, while he made 53 interceptions, 93 clearances and also won 61 of the 77 aerial duels he contested.
The fact that he is 6ft 2in tall also means that he is a decent height and is relatively strong, and those physical traits are something that will appeal to Sam Allardyce.
His versatility
Kongolo often played at centre-back in his early Feyenoord days, but he has also shown that he can operate successfully as a left-back in recent seasons with the Dutch club, and in his rare outings for Monaco this term.
That versatility will certainly be an attractive trait to Allardyce, who will know that the 23-year-old can not only play at the heart of the defence as a left-sided centre-half, but he can also fill in at left-back when Leighton Baines isn’t fit, and provide cover when he is.
Do you agree, Toffees fans? Let us know below.
