Everton defender Niels Nkounkou could return to Goodison Park this month after some ‘disappointing performances’ with loan club Standard Liege.
That’s according to journalist Ignazio Genuardi, who says the full-back could ‘pack his bags’ before the end of the month.
Nkounkou joined Liege on loan in the summer, with Everton allowing him to leave and get regular first-team football away from Merseyside.
That is something he has gotten, with 16 appearances in all competitions to his name so far for the Belgian side.
Thirteen of his 14 appearances in the Jupiler Pro League have seen him in the starting 11, an ideal situation even if results haven’t been as good as he would have hoped.
He offers no explanation or example of these disappointing performances, though, and that idea doesn’t tally with the numbers, which show Nkounkou has been a regular this season.
Prêté depuis l’été dernier par #Everton, #Nkounkou n’est pas certain de faire de vieux os au #Standard #Liège. Auteur de prestations décevantes avec les Rouches, l’ancien Marseillais pourrait refaire ses valises dès cet hiver. #Mercato
— Ignazio Genuardi (@IgnazioGenuardi) January 5, 2022
A return to Everton could make sense, though. If Lucas Digne leaves as expected, that will leave them with one left-back in Vitaliy Mykolenko and perhaps the plan is to have Nkounkou fight it out with him.
Indeed, before the Ukrainian signed, it was made clear in his homeland that he would be fighting to establish himself at Everton’s first choice at left-back.
The assumption was that fight would be with Digne, but perhaps the real plan is to bring back Nkounkou as the competition for the January signing.
