The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Greg O’Keeffe says that the club shouldn’t sign loanee Djibril Sidibe this summer as things stand, on the latest episode of the Gwlad Tidings podcast (March 13).
What did he say?
Well, both he and colleague Patrick Boyland were talking about the France international’s performance in the 4-0 defeat against Chelsea last weekend, and it naturally led to the subject of bringing him to Goodison Park permanently when his season-long loan spell finishes.
O’Keeffe clearly hasn’t been impressed with what he has seen from the Monaco man in recent weeks and months though, saying (21:05): “I mean £13m is a good price for a World Cup winning creatively influential full-back.
“But when you’re making the errors that he’s been starting to make recently, and positionally, and you can’t complete five or 10 yard passes when you’re always bringing pressure on your team like he has been in recent games, I just don’t think it’s worth it. I think it leaves them with a headache.”
He added later: “If you asked me to make a decision now, I’d say just find someone better. I’d say find the right-footed Lucas Digne. Why should we settle for a flawed option?”
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Is he right?
He probably is.
There was a time around towards the end of 2019 when it looked like a no-brainer for the Merseyside outfit to snap the 27-year-old up for the reported £12.7m option they have on him.
A run of four Premier League assists in seven fixtures between November 9 and Boxing Day certainly showed his threat in the final third for the Toffees, but he has disappointed defensively on other occasions – such as in the heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge last time out.
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Turning down the chance to sign a 2018 World Cup champion for around £13m seems mad, but given his age and the fact he is being found out defensively by the best teams in the top flight, then what use is he to Everton given their own Champions League ambitions under Carlo Ancelotti?
O’Keeffe is right to be sceptical about Marcel Brands bringing Sidibe in.
In other Everton news, one Toffees youngster could be Carlo Ancelotti’s next Kalidou Koulibaly at Goodison Park…
