Everton are reportedly keen on signing 25-year-old Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters.
According to Daily Mirror, Frank Lampard is targeting at least two new signings in the summer transfer window, and Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters is one of them. The 25-year-old English defender has been with the Saints since the 2020 winter transfer window, totalling 82 appearances for the club.
A Tottenham youth product, Walker-Peters rose through the ranks at the north London club to make his first-team debut in the 2017/18 season. But the English full-back could not cement a spot in the Spurs starting line-up and eventually joined Southampton after just 24 appearances with the club’s senior squad.
Walker-Peters has been a regular starter for the Saints and has played on both flanks of the defence. In fact, most of his Premier League appearances for the Saints have come from the left-back spot, and the 25-year-old is also adept at playing as a wing-back.
His versatility could prove to be a great asset as Everton plan a summer move for him. Lampard currently has 20-year-old Nathan Patterson and 33-year-old Seamus Coleman as his right-back options. The Everton manager thus wants to add competition for the spot to avoid a repeat of the last season. They were interested in Walker-Peters last summer as well, but a move did not materialise.
Everton narrowly avoided relegation in the 2021/22 term, finishing 16th in the Premier League table. The Merseyside giants have also sold Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur and are now on the lookout for replacements.
Evertonhave identified Chelsea’s 20-year-old forward Armando Broja as a potential replacement for Richarlison and are seriously pursuing him. Broja spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Southampton alongside Walker-Peters, scoring six league goals in 32 matches. The youngster is attracting interest from other Premier League clubs as well, including West Ham United.
So Everton will have to beat competition from the Hammers to land Broja this summer. The Albanian international is a Chelsea youth product but has made just one appearance for the Blues’ senior team thus far. Though he has returned to Stamford Bridge after the completion of his loan spell with Southampton, chances of him getting reasonable game-time at the club are still slim. As for Walker-Peters, a summer move to Everton might be on the cards.
