Everton fans, prepared to be Kara’d.
What does that mean? Well, we might be wrong here, but we’ve got a pretty good feeling January will see the Toffees get linked with the Anderlecht defender quite a bit.
What makes us say that? Sam Allardyce really likes the guy, and so does Steve Walsh.
The new Everton manager wanted the Senegalese defender back during his time at Crystal Palace, and nearly got him, but the Belgian side stood firm and convinced him to stay until the end of the 2016-17 season.
As for Everton’s director of football, Walsh had the Anderlecht star on his list as far back as 2015, when the now 28-year-old was still at Genk before his move to the Jupiler Pro League champions.
During his first press conference, Allardyce confirmed he would be dipping his toes into the January transfer market, and his quote “I think recruitment has always been one of my strengths. Together with Steve Walsh, we have to make the players we bring in are better than any they replace,” made our ears prick up and head tilt a little.
With both Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka getting on a bit and Ramiro Funes Mori injured more often than not, Everton are left with Michael Keane and an inexperienced Mason Holgate at centre-back as realistic long-term options for the role.
Standing at 6’3” and great in the air, Kara has “Sam Allardyce defender” written all over it, and with money finally at his disposal to shape a team the way he wants it, we’re already bracing ourselves for the inevitable.
