Everton identify chief replacement should Fellaini depart in window
Published:Losing Marouane Fellaini before the closing of the transfer window remains a real possibility for Everton, but David Moyes has a replacement already in his sights.
Everton currently sit fifth in the Premier League and assuming they are not weakened in the transfer window, 11/2 is a decent price that they finish in the top four, especially given their penchant for performing better in the second half of the season.
Fellaini is the big name they look most likely to lose as he remains a target of Chelsea, but an asking price in the region of £20m has so far proved a stumbling block.
However, should Roman Abramovich stump up, it would be a great bit of business if Everton landed Etienne Capoue for half the price.
Reports suggest Moyes is set to offer £8m for the Toulouse midfielder and that Capoue is interested in joining.
Having missed out on soon-to-be free agent Lewis Holtby to Tottenham, Capoue represents a solid plan B for Everton and would be a major coup if rumours are true that Arsenal and Chelsea are interested.
Arsenal have already missed out on Juan Mata in recent seasons and it will only frustrate supporters further if another talent slips through their fingers, especially one that is more of a midfield enforcer, which is a player that Arsene Wenger arguably lacks.
Meanwhile, Capoue would be an asset for Chelsea now and a better acquisition than Fellaini in terms of being slightly more defensive minded to balance out the host of attack-minded players already available to Rafa Benitez.
His other strengths lie in his engine in the middle of the park, while being strong in maintaining possession.
In an ideal world, Toulouse would prefer to hang on to Capoue until the summer, especially as Moussa Sissoko has also been touted with a January switch from the club.
Sissoko has been on the radar of numerous Premier League clubs in recent days, with Aston Villa thought to be among those at the head of the queue for his signature.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
