‘Benitez wants him in January’ – Everton ‘planning to present offer’ for winter deal

Everton’s good start to the season under Rafa Benitez hit a bump in the road at the weekend, as the Toffees lost 3-0 to Aston Villa.

Ahead of the match, the Merseyside club had announced they’d be without all of Jordan Pickford, Richarlison and Seamus Coleman, who were absent with fitness issues.

Everton are sixth in the Premier League, and Benitez will be determined to prove his many doubters wrong, and have the club finish not too far from the level they’re at now. That could require additions in the winter market, and hints on that come from Italy.

According to CMW, Everton are keen on AC Milan’s Alessio Romagnoli, whose contract with the Rossoneri expires at the end of the season. According to the claims, ‘Benitez wants him in January’ and the Blues would be ‘planning to present an offer’ for a winter switch.

That would help them get ahead of competition like Juventus and Inter Milan, who would be interested in the defender on a free transfer basis. Everton have been linked on several occasions, with claims in March of this year that they were considering a summer swoop, so perhaps this one has Marcel Brands involvement.

The 26-year-old has played 182 minutes of Serie A football this season, captaining Milan in their past two matches, so he may not be so keen to jump ship.