Enzo Boyomo fends off Getafe's Álex Sancrisplaceholder image
Enzo Boyomo fends off Getafe's Álex Sancris | Getty Images
Everton, Brighton and Sunderland are among the Premier League teams interested in signing a powerful defender - but is he worth the gamble?
One of the most intriguing transfer battles of the summer transfer window could end up being the fight for the signature of Osasuna centre-back Enzo Boyomo – a Cameroon international with a growing reputation and a relatively affordable asking price.
Everton, Sunderland and Brighton are among several teams said to be interested. Boyomo may not have too much name recognition outside of La Liga and West Africa, but it looks as though quite a few top-flight teams see his combination of strength, positional sense and technique as marking him out for stardom. But does he have the judgement and all-round skillset to reach the top of the game, and why is he available for just £22m?
Why Everton, Sunderland & Brighton are all monitoring Enzo Boyomo
Boyomo hasn’t taken the most direct route to the top level of the game. Born in Toulouse, he moved to England to join Blackburn Rovers’ youth academy in 2016, eventually moving on to Spain when he saw a chance to play regular football in the second tier. It was a gamble which paid off.
After spending a few years yo-yoing between La Liga and La Segunda with Albacete and Real Valladolid, he moved to Osasuna in 2024 for a fee rising to just under £5m, and swiftly established himself as a regular starter. Now, thanks to a relatively budget-friendly release clause, he seems set to move on.
The 24-year-old defender is available for just €25m (around £22m) thanks to the clause, a fee which puts him well within the reach of Premier League teams – and quite a few of them appear to have taken notice.
Sport Witness cover stories from Spain which suggest that Everton, Sunderland and Brighton are all monitoring Boyomo, who has nine caps for Cameroon, while Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Juventus are among other sides previously said to be interested. Other sources suggest freshly-promoted Ipswich Town and ascending Serie A side Como as suitors. There could be quite a few teams in the mix when the transfer window opens.
With so many sides seemingly taking a close look at Boyomo, it’s difficult to work out where he might end up, but his combination of traits, consistent performances in Spain and affordability suggest that someone will take a chance on him this summer. But is he ready for the Premier League?
Boyomo has plenty of qualities – but he’s not the complete package just yet
The upside to Boyomo is evident: His combination of physical strength and positioning makes him an excellent one-on-one defender, he’s a formidable marker and is more than willing to take chances with his tackling. That last point is, perhaps, inevitably, both a strength and a weakness.
Boyomo makes a very healthy number of tackles but his judgement isn’t impeccable, and he can be guilty of committing fouls too frequently – for starters, he’s conceded two penalties in his 26 league appearances for Osasuna already this season.
He’s also not especially commanding in the air. Stood 5’11” tall, he doesn’t have the kind of leap to deal with high balls as frequently as some teams might like. Sides who defend narrow and invite crosses – Everton being an example – might want to think twice before making a move.
He’s a good technician and suitably press resistant for the highest level, but lacks passing range or the ability to drive the ball upfield on the run. He’ll offer a stable base for possession and seldom gives the ball away, but for teams looking to spark quick counter-attacks and get the ball moving at speed, he may not be an ideal fit.
His defensive fundamentals are sound, certainly, and he’s exceptionally difficult to dribble past or to turn, making him a real headache for sides who like to keep the ball on the floor. That gives him a high floor as a player, too, but it’s questionable whether his ceiling is especially lofty.
Boyomo needs to improve his judgement in the tackle and to expand his passing game to reach the heights, and may be limited by his drawbacks in the long run – not that many tougher defenders are available at his price point. The appeal is obvious, but the drawbacks are real.
For the right team, he’s probably worth £21.5m, and it’s certainly not too much of a risk for a wealthy Premier League team to take, but there’s a debate as to whether he has a sufficiently well-rounded game to truly flourish. He has been good in La Liga, by any standards, but not a true standout. Judging whether he’s likely to be a sensible signing will involve making a call on the extent to which he can improve upon his defects. We’ll find out which team makes that judgement soon enough.
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