Colin Dagba in action for PSG against Lille
Back in June, a report from French outlet Le 10 Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo) had claimed that Everton were interested in signing right-back Colin Dagba from Paris Saint-Germain.
Colin Dagba completed his footballing education at Lens and Boulogne before beginning his professional career with the latter in the Championnat National, the third tier of French football. The right-back was eventually snapped up by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016 and signed a professional contract with the heavyweights in 2017 after impressing for the U-19s.
The France U-21 international made his senior breakthrough for PSG during the 2018-19 campaign and has since played a bit-part role at the French capital. Dagba has made a total of 46 appearances for the reigning Ligue 1 champions in all competitions, registering 4 assists in the process.
Veteran defender Seamus Coleman rolled back the years with a string of impressive displays at the right-back in the first few games this season after an inconsistent campaign last time around. However, the Irishman is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem, which is expected to keep him out of action until the end of November.
With Jonjoe Kenny also struggling for fitness, Coleman’s injury layoff has forced Carlo Ancelotti to deploy new signing Ben Godfrey on the right-hand side of the backline. Godfrey has done a decent job in an unfamiliar role but his best qualities are undoubtedly utilised in his natural centre-back position.
Kenny has been around the scenes for quite a while but is yet to convince that he’s capable of starting week in week out for a club of Everton’s stature in the Premier League.
Coleman will be in pole position to regain his status as a regular starter ahead of Kenny when he returns from injury. However, Everton would be smart enough to line up some younger alternatives in the market with one eye on the future, with the veteran already 32.
Hence, Everton should make a renewed attempt to sign Colin Dagba from PSG when the transfer window reopens in January. Bringing in a new right-back need not be an immediate priority for the Toffees but it is a department that definitely needs some investment moving forward.
Dagba has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at PSG due to stiff competition for places but the Frenchman’s talent can hardly be called into question. Widely regarded as one of the best up and coming full-backs in Ligue 1, Everton would be well within their rights to expect the 22-year-old to make the step up to the Premier League in the years to come.
It’s hard to say whether Colin Dagba would be an instant upgrade on the likes of Kenny and Coleman at Everton. But with the right-back situation at Goodison Park still quite volatile, the door remains open for a new signing to come through the door and establish himself firmly in Ancelotti’s plans.
Dagba still has his best years ahead of him at 22, meaning the Toffees should try and groom him into a long-term successor of Coleman.