According to The Scottish Sun, Everton are set to ‘launch a bid to sign’ Cole McKinnon and may have to battle Aston Villa and other clubs to bring him to Goodison Park. The 17-year-old has already been promoted from Rangers’ youth team to their reserves and looks to have a bright future.
McKinnon certainly fits the criteria for an Everton signing. Marcel Brands wants to lower the average age of the first-team squad and Joao Virginia (aged 20), Lewis Gibson (19), Jarrad Branthwaite (18), Beni Baningime (21), Anthony Gordon (19) and Moise Kean (20) have been included in matchday squads this season.
Everton have Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Tom Davies and Baningime, but Sigurdsson could be sold, Delph has struggled for form and fitness, Gbamin is out until 2021, Davies has been inconsistent and Baningime has been short of playing time.
And with Morgan Schneiderlin being sold, a new midfielder is on the wishlist. Everton have been linked with Adrien Rabiot, Allan, Angelo Fulgini, Franck Kessie, Morgan Sanson, Mohammed Kudus, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Davide Frattesi, Matias Vecino, John McGinn and Idrissa Gueye, but their interest in McKinnon suggests they’re planning for the future rather than just the present.
The 17-year-old is yet to break into Rangers’ first-team, so he would have to work hard to make the step up at Everton, but the Toffees are one of the best clubs for his development.