When one of Everton’s scouts travelled to Bordeaux on Sunday to watch the Ligue 1 side face Nantes in the early hours of the afternoon, he probably didn’t think about taking notes on central midfielders.
After all, Marco Silva’s side were relatively sorted in that department, even if they sorely miss Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and positions like centre-back and striker were far more important areas to focus on prior to the Tottenham game.
With little in terms of young talent in those areas, it would make more sense for the observer to be there for a specific target, like Bordeaux’s Pablo.
Since Mexer and Laurent Koscielny only joined in the summer, they can be ruled out, while we doubt Everton were there to look at Nantes’ 32-year-old Nicolas Pallois, which left the aforementioned Brazilian as the only natural centre-back on display worthy of a trip.
The 28-year-old was once linked with Manchester United back when José Mourinho was still in charge, so there’s clearly something there of interest for Premier League defenders, and with Bordeaux currently sixth in the league, things are going well.
That being said, there were a couple of players in their midfield to keep an eye on too, and after André Gomes’ injury against Tottenham, that might be something they need to think about.
Perhaps the most interesting talent is Aurélien Tchouaméni, who already has 28 first-team appearances to his name at the age of 19, while Otávio, who picked up an assist in the 2-0 win, could also offer something interesting if a decision is taken to reinforce the central areas of the squad.
Either way, the scout, whose presence was noted by Girondins4Ever, was likely there for a reason, and this is what we could come up with looking at both sides and Everton’s needs.
Nothing might ever come of it, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the January window edges closer.
