Everton have been linked with a deal for a combative midfielder who could complement Hayden Hackney in midfield
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As those hints of a more expansive approach to transfer business suggested, however, that’s likely to be the starting point rather than the end of their work – and reports this week suggest that Hackney won’t be the only combative midfielder added to David Moyes’ squad. Parma’s Mandela Keita may be inching towards a move to Merseyside.
Everton target Parma’s Mandela Keita – reports
Keita played for OH Leuven and Antwerp before moving to Parma in 2024placeholder image
Keita played for OH Leuven and Antwerp before moving to Parma in 2024 | Getty Images
Sport Witness recently summarised a stories in the Italian media which suggested that Everton had “opened talks” with Parma over a deal for the 24-year-old Keita, a Belgian international who has impressed since moving to Serie A two seasons ago.
A hard-working defensive midfielder in the classical Moyes mould, Keita would supposedly set Everton back around €25m (£21.5m) if they were able to sign him this summer, and that’s a possibility which appears to be coming closer now that negotiations are allegedly underway.
As it stands, there is no suggestion that either a fee or personal terms have been agreed, and that could leave space for another side to get involved – and Atalanta have been mentioned as another side who are keeping tabs on Keita’s situation.
They may not be alone. Reports in the spring suggested that both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur were monitoring him and while Spurs seem to have moved on to other, more expensive, targets there is every chance that Villa could still make a move as the summer wears on.
With Hackney set to sign and Merlin Röhl now a permanent member of Moyes’ squad, another midfielder may not be Everton’s most urgent priority but with question marks over the future of both Idrissa Gana Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam, there is still likely to be space for another addition in the centre of the park – and they seem to be keen to move quickly to ensure that they can’t be outmuscled by another side easily.
All of this assumes that the reports that Everton are in negotiations are accurate, and there remains every chance that they are no more than idle gossip from a country which has a particularly active and sometimes fanciful rumour mill. But if they really are moving towards a deal, will Keita represent enough of an upgrade to Everton’s midfield?
Why Everton are rumoured to be keen on Keita
Keita's goal against AS Roma in May was just the second of his professional careerplaceholder image
Keita's goal against AS Roma in May was just the second of his professional career | Getty Images
Although a defensive midfielder rather than a true box-to-box player, Keita is an athletic and highly mobile player who is happy to cover large swathes of the pitch in order to shut down threats – and in Everton’s usual two-man midfield, his energy alone could be a good enough reason to sign him.
He’s also an excellent defender, however, who particularly shines in one-on-one situations. Tenacious, patient and strong, few players dribble past him or pass their way through him with any ease.
He’s also a player who wins the ball more often than not – he won 63% of his ground duels for Parma last season – and who forces plenty of turnovers while timing his tackles well. Given that he averaged two successful tackles per game, the fact that he only picked up a single booking is a testament to his judgement when making a challenge.
Keita does, admittedly, have some limitations to his game. He’s not a particularly creative player and his total of one goal and one assist in Serie A last season reflects a lack of threat in the final third. He might cover a lot of ground, but he tends to leave the final ball to someone else.
He lacks the all-round game of a player like James Garner, perhaps, but is a sufficiently rigid and reliable player that he should make a very fine replacement for a player like Gueye, while providing stiff competition for minutes in the middle of the park and perhaps a more natural anchor man than the other players already on the books at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Keita probably won’t be Everton’s most headline-grabbing signing of the summer. The fact that he only has one cap for his country, earned back in 2023, hints at the fact that his limitations don’t suit every manager or every system. But if Everton want another midfielder who can shut opposing attacks down while offering a strong base for possession, then they could do quite a bit worse.
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