Why Everton should avoid making a move for Ugurcan Cakir this summer
According to Turkish outlet Samanyolu Haber, cited by The Boot Room (h/t the Liverpool Echo), Everton and Tottenham are scouting Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir ahead of a potential summer move.
Ugurcan Cakir, 23, joined the Trabzonspor youth set-up at a young age from Yamanspor in the summer transfer window of 2011. He climbed through the youth ranks of Trabzonspor before tasting first-team football back in 2014. The shot-stopper put in a series of impressive displays last season, playing a crucial role in Trabzonspor’s fourth-place finish.
This season, Cakir has played 28 games across all competitions so far. The report (h/t the Liverpool Echo) adds the valuation of the Turkish goalkeeper is a fee in the region of €25-€30m.
Everton, meanwhile, have struggled defensively this season. They have conceded 38 goals in 26 games, which is really worrying considering the kind of defensive talents the Toffees have in the squad. In Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate, the Merseysiders have decent options at the back; however, none of them has been consistent this term.
In addition, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s form has wavered throughout 2019/20. Pickford, signed from Sunderland in the summer of 2017, is Everton’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper under Carlo Ancelotti. He is also England’s number one goalkeeper and has performed reasonably well in the international stage in Gareth Southgate’s management.
Pickford was a national hero in 2018 during England’s World Cup run to the semi-finals, especially in the penalty shoot-out win against Colombia, but he has endured a mixed 18 months since. He has allowed mistakes to creep into his game lately. In Everton’s recent 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace, the 25-year-old let Christian Benteke’s equaliser slip under him.
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Having said that, should Everton replace Pickford with Ugurcan Cakir in the summer? No. Cakir has performed really well for Trabzonspor in the last two seasons and interest in him from clubs such as Everton and Tottenham do suggest that. But as Trabzonspor are demanding quite a high fee, the Toffees must stay away from him.
Verdict
Everton broke their then club record in 2017 when signing Pickford for a £30m fee from Sunderland. (h/t Sky Sports) While Pickford has had a mixed time after the 2018 World Cup, he is still only 25 years old and has a lot of room to develop his game. Thus, Ancelotti must stick with the England international in goal and not waste the club’s money in recruiting Cekir this summer.
