Everton are closing in on a deal to sign AS Monaco defender Djibril Sidibe on loan, according to L’Equipe.
Marco Silva had made improving his right-back options a priority heading toward Deadline Day, and is now on the verge of signing the 18-cap France international after he completed his medical on Monday evening.
Sidibe could now be presented as an Everton player as soon as Tuesday, August 6, and L’Equipe speculate whether he will be joining a French contingent on Merseyside consisting of Lucas Digne, Morgan Schneiderlin and potentially Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, after the Hornets rejected our advances over the weekend.
Troyes-born Sidibe will join the Toffees on an initial one-season deal, but the Blues will hold an option to buy the 27-year-old next summer for €14million (£12.8m), while the temporary arrangement will set us back an upfront €2.5million (£2.2m).
A combined €16.5million (£15.1m) fee represents a slight increase on Les Monegasques’ original asking price for the 2018 World Cup winner, who had demanded €15million outright from Crystal Palace and West Ham earlier in the summer.
Monaco already have a replacement in line for Sidibe, with reports in France suggesting negotiations between the Stade Louis II natives and Montpellier for Ruben Aguilar are close to competition, having been put on hold for several weeks.
Newcastle United have also been credited with an interest in the one-time Ligue 1 champion, meaning Director of Football Marcel Brands has pulled off another strong coup, having lured Juventus’ Moise Kean to Goodison Park already.
Securing Sidibe on a loan-to-buy is also a very shrewd tactic by Brands, as the 5 ft 9 defender ended last season on a poor vein of form, as he became easier for the opposition to read.
He has the ability within himself to one-day replace Seamus Coleman in our starting line-up, so having a year to test him in Silva’s system will allow the club to more than adequately run the rule over whether he has a long-term future at Goodison Park.
Had we had that option for Kurt Zouma, we may not be in a situation approaching Thursday’s deadline where we are still on the hunt for centre-back reinforcements, as the Frenchman shone on Merseyside alongside Michael Keane last season but has now returned to Chelsea.