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Wolverhampton Wanderers can already get talks underway with an Everton star.
Wolves have reportedly registered an interest in out-of-sorts Everton defender Michael Keane ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Old Gold are among several clubs eager to sign the 32-year-old central defender upon the expiry of his Everton contract on June 30. Vitor Pereira recruited two new centre-halves in the recent window transfer window as he signed Emmanuel Agbadou and Nasser Djiga from Reims and Red Star for a combined £26.6 million, but the Wolves manager isn’t done there.
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With former West Bromwich Albion ace Craig Dawson banished from first-team proceedings due to Pereira’s lack of interest in using the veteran, Wolves are in the market for a replacement. The financial situation is better than it was under Gary O’Neil but it’s still far from ideal, so utilising the free agents market could be a handy way to add squad depth without breaking the bank.
With this in mind, Keane, who can now be freely sounded out ahead of his expected Everton departure, is a target. The Daily Mail reports Wolves are “showing an interest” alongside Saudi Pro League club Al-Riyadh and Major League Soccer side FC Dallas.
Keane isn’t the only Everton star out of contract this summer as striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, captain Seamus Coleman and midfield pair Idrissa Gana Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure are yet to renew. Wolves aren’t said to be interested in any of these four but are considering signing Keane as a defensive reinforcement.
How would Michael Keane fit in at Wolves?
It’d be difficult to imagine Keane starting consistently for Wolves as Everton, in a similar predicament near the bottom of the Premier League standings, have only played the centre-back 14 times across all competitions this season. That said, he’s still capable of playing in the top flight and would offer great competition at Molineux.
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The Manchester United academy product, 12 times an England international in his prime, has racked up 226 appearances, 15 goals and 10 assists in Everton colours since signing from Burnley in 2017. Before making his £30 million move to Goodison Park, Keane played 108 times for the Clarets, playing a key role under Sean Dyche and achieving promotion to the Premier League.
One side of Keane’s game Wolves could look to tap into is his goal threat. Standing at 6ft 2in and with a terrific jumping reach, the Englishman often towers above opponents in the box. Keane has scored 15 times in 249 Premier League appearances throughout his career, while he netted 10 times in 86 games during his spells in the Championship with Burnley, Leicester City and Derby County.
At the age of 32, Keane probably only has a season or two left in him at the very top level but Wolves won’t mind, especially as he’d be joining for free. Of course, Everton could still offer him a new contract, but that looks unlikely at this stage.
In other news, a former Wolves star will be managed by Gary Lineker in an intriguing turn in an already enticing career.