According to RAI via Sport Witness, Everton are interested in Fabian Ruiz and may have to battle Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature. Ciro Venerato says the €28k-per-week/€1.5m-a-year (£24.2k-per-week/£1.26m-a-year) midfielder may cost up to €100m (£86.6m) to sign, however, so it remains to be seen if Everton can afford him.
Tom Davies & Morgan Schneiderlin have blown hot and cold this season, Jean Philippe Gbamin has spent most of 2019/20 on the treatment table, Fabian Delph has picked up multiple injuries in his debut campaign and Gylfi Sigurdsson has struggled for consistency, so the Toffees do need another midfielder.
Would Fabian Ruiz be a good signing for Everton?
Yes
No
Ruiz has made 32 appearances in all competitions for Napoli this season, scoring and creating five goals. The Spanish international has completed 90.5% of his 1645 passes, made 32 chances for his teammates, won 60% of his aerial duels, had 27 successful dribbles (69%), blocked 20 shots & passes, made 12 clearances and averaged a tackle (37) or interception (27) every 30 minutes.
He’s clearly a good player who would improve Everton’s squad, but the problem is his affordability. Ruiz would be the Toffees’ record-signing by some distance, surpassing the £45m spent on Sigurdsson in 2017. The Toffees can’t realistically compete with the financial muscle of Barca, Real and PSG, so they may be fighting a losing battle.
Carlo Ancelotti’s links with his former club Napoli are a benefit, but would the 23-year-old really leave the Serie A to join Everton?