Everton and Chelsea ‘two very good clubs’ states transfer target, says there’s been contact

 

Before Aymen Abdennour moved to Valencia he was heavily linked with a switch to Chelsea, and spoke about it himself. Even when Antonio Conte took over at Stamford Bridge there were links in the summer, with Chelsea being linked to every defender in Europe.

Conte eventually brought it David Luiz and Marcos Alonso, but the bigger Abdennour links were probably with Everton. Repeatedly it was stated by the Valencia media that Ronald Koeman was keen on the player for Everton, and that there had been talks, and even that a deal was close.

Everton selling John Stones to Manchester City only made Koeman’s need for a defender more apparent, and despite the signing of Ashley Williams, the claims didn’t stop until the end of the transfer window.

Valencia had been keen to sell and the idea of interest from Everton, and especially Chelsea, was perhaps born out of a hope that one of the Premier League clubs would help their FFP situation. Koeman and Conte went elsewhere but Abdennour clearly believes there was some kind of interest.

Asked by France’s Foot Mercato what he thinks of Everton and Chelsea links, Abdennour explained: “Everton or Chelsea, they are two very good clubs. Last year, I heard that there were contacts with Valencia.

“In the end, my team told me to stay that I did. I train fully and I’m a professional.”

Abdennour is again being linked with a Valencia exit, but the Everton and Chelsea links have really got going. There’s still time.