Ibrahim Sangare has impressed with Toulouse in the 2019/20 campaign (Getty Images)
According to North Wales Live, Everton are ready to firm up their interest in Toulouse defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare this summer, with reports claiming that the Toffees are looking to bolster their ranks.
North Wales Live understands that Everton hold a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old Ivory Coast international and Toulouse have slapped a daunting £22 million price tag on his head.
Everton are believed to be in the market for a new central midfielder this summer, with talks over the permanent deal for Barcelona loanee Andre Gomes failing to reach a positive end so far.
Idrissa Gana Gueye has been heavily linked with moves to Man United and PSG incent times and the uncertainty over the future of two of their first-team central midfielders has probably prompted the Toffees to look at Ibrahim Sangare as a potential transfer target. (h/t Daily Mail)
Born in Ivory Coast, Sangare started his career with AS Denguele is his homeland before migrating to France and joining Toulouse at the youth level. He made rapid progress through the ranks and broke into the first-team picture in the 2016-17 campaign, making his debut against Angers in Ligue 1.
The highly-rated prospect made only 5 appearances in Ligue 1 in his breakthrough season but his promise and potential was there for everyone to witness. Sangare started as many as 18 Ligue 1 games for Toulouse in the 2017-18 season before establishing himself as one of the key cogs of the team’s midfield the last term.
Toulouse only managed a lower mid-table finish in the French top-flight this past season but the 21-year-old defensive midfielder was one of the shining lights of the club’s otherwise mediocre campaign. Sangare made 28 appearances in Ligue 1 and contributed with a goal and 3 assists, with his consistently impressive displays earning him rave reviews from fans and pundits alike.
Sangare is regarded as one of the brightest emerging prospects in Ligue 1 at the moment and Everton’s interest in the highly-rated prodigy certainly looks justified. The Toffees showed strong signs of promise in their first season under Marco Silva but it is a no-brainer that they need to invest in young and talented players as a part of their long-term plans moving forward.
To put things into perspective, Ibrahim Sangare might not be one of the household names just yet but he is certainly a player to watch out for in the future. His success in Ligue 1 hardly guarantees the same in the Premier League but few would dare to argue that the Ivorian has all the makings of developing into a top-quality player in the years to come.
Advertised as a defensive midfielder, Sangare’s towering 6ft. 3-inch frame coupled with his tough-tackling and aggressive style of play makes him a dominating presence in the middle of the park. A wonderful tackler who is also blessed with a good range of passing, Sangare is noted for his ability to break up the play with crucial interventions, whilst also showcasing the calmness and composure to dictate the tempo of the game in the midfield.
The 21-year-old averaged 54.1 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 79.6, including 3.9 successful long balls, 3.6 tackles, 1 interception, 1.4 aerial duels and 0.7 key passes, figures which are certainly good enough for a player of his age.
Everton have the likes of Tom Davies and Morgan Schneiderlin as viable options in the middle of the park but someone like Sangare would add that extra bit of aggression and youthful exuberance to the club’s ranks, whilst also increasing competition for places.
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The Toffees will be expected to challenge for a European spot next term, and while a specialist centre-forward could be the key to their chances for that matter, the acquisition of Ibrahim Sangare would certainly be a step in the right direction.