Why Malang Sarr to Everton would bolster their defensive unit
According to Le10 Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo), Everton have joined the race to sign OGC Nice defender Malang Sarr, who has refused to renew his contract at the Ligue 1 club, which is set to expire this summer.
Sarr, 21, is a product of OGC Nice’s youth academy. Having spent 12 years in the academy, he made his Ligue 1 debut at the age of 17 in August 2016, scoring the winner against Rennes. Since then, he has become an integral member of the club and has already made 119 appearances for the French outfit.
The centre-back has represented France at various youth levels and also captained the U18 side. He has gone from strength to strength in the past few years. His eye-catching displays have also attracted interest from Newcastle United, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund along with Everton, as per the report.
The Toffees have struggled with consistency throughout the campaign. Their dismal performances earlier in the campaign saw Marco Silva lose his job as Everton were hovering near the relegation zone.
After Duncan Ferguson took charge on an interim basis, they seemed to get back on track. And that continued under new permanent boss Carlo Ancelotti, but their fizzled out eventually.
They haven’t been as strong under Ancelotti. Apart from Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, none of the players have stepped up consistently. The attacking unit has managed to score just 37 goals and most of them have come from the two forwards.
Sarr – A defensive solution for the future
Everton’s defensive unit has struggled a lot and Ancelotti has a lot of work to do in the summer to set up a strong team for the new season. Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate are the only centre-backs available at the manager’s disposal.
While Holgate has done a decent job, shifting between the centre-back and defensive midfield role, Mina and Keane have failed to form a strong partnership at the heart of the defence. The Toffees’ shaky defence has conceded 46 goals so far. Thus, the manager should bring in reinforcements to their backline in the summer.
In that regard, Nice’s Sarr would be a viable choice for the club. The youngster has been in decent form this season, helping Nice keep 4 clean sheets. He also captained the team in a game against Toulouse.
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The Frenchman has already proved that he has bags of potential. And given the leaky nature of Everton’s defence, he would be a good addition to the Toffees’ squad. His inclusion would bring in a healthy competition with the roster, while adding depth to a problematic position.
Verdict
Sarr is just 21 and already has enough experience at the top level. He would also add the much-needed depth as Everton lack enough options at centre-back. And if he is able to replicate the same form, he could go on to become a key player for them in the long run. Thus, the Toffees should manage to lure the Frenchman to Goodison Park at the earliest.
