Barcelona right-back Hector Bellerin has reportedly rejected an approach from Everton to bring the former Arsenal star back to the Premier League.
The Spanish international has featured on just 3 occasions in La Liga for the Catalan giants so far this season, with first-team opportunities extremely limited for the 27-year-old.
Indeed, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has often utilized the centre-back in an unfamiliar right-back position, and with Bellerin’s contract at Camp Nou due to expire at the end of the campaign, his immediate future is yet to be resolved.
However, an approach by Frank Lampard for the full-back has been rejected by Bellerin, who is reportedly keen to extend his stay in his home country.
With Nathan Patterson out injured for the Toffees, Bellerin may well have been a smart signing by Lampard, as the veteran Seamus Coleman may not have the legs to feature every week.
Indeed, Coleman could have been used sporadically, and the introduction of a cultured and experienced defender to the ranks could have aided in Patterson’s development, though it seems that another opportunity has passed the Blues by this month.
Lampard and Everton’s director of football, Kevin Thelwell, have found it difficult to strengthen the squad so far this window, and have seen countless potential targets sign elsewhere, often worryingly for clubs in the bottom half of the Premier League.
It has been a particularly disheartening window to see many of the teams in and around Everton in the league recruit, with the latest missed target being centre-forward Danny Ings, who’s move from Aston Villa to fellow strugglers West Ham was completed in time for the ex-Liverpool striker to feature in tomorrow afternoon’s fixture at the London Stadium.
Ings has a tremendous record against Everton, and has already scored against the Blues for 4 different teams.
Let’s hope he doesn’t make it 5 tomorrow.