This summer, no English team has been more aggressive in the transfer market than Everton. That continued on Monday with the £5.3 million signing of striker Sandro Ramirez, and the considerably more expensive £25 million capture of former Burnley and Manchester United defender Michael Keane.
Everton signs defender Michael Keane for reported £25 million
A thin Everton defense just got a lot better.
Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images
The 24-year-old center back has spent the last three seasons at Burnley, becoming one of the top English defenders in the process. He was solid in his first Premier League campaign despite Burnley’s relegation, then excellent in the Championship the following year. Last season was his best yet, as he helped keep Burnley in the Premier League while earning his full England debut.
Keane is still young for a center back, and has plenty of room to improve. But Everton also likely see him as a starter from day one, and will be expecting him to make their defense better instantly.
Keane is the kind of ball-playing defender Ronald Koeman wants
Most managers prefer to have center backs who can control and pass the ball these days, and Ronald Koeman is certainly one of them. Keane is very good technically, both at controlling the ball and hitting accurate long passes. He’ll provide a skill upgrade over Ashley Williams and a brain upgrade over Ramiro Funes Mori, and could also play in a partnership with either of them.
No one gets displaced, Everton just has depth now
Phil Jagielka isn’t a first-choice defender for a team with European aspirations anymore and wasn’t ever going to play a key role this season, while Mason Holgate probably isn’t ready to be first choice yet, and might end up as a right back long term anyway. Williams and Funes Mori might each get a bit less playing time than last season, but they’ll both still be needed. Everton doesn’t have a clear, locked-in central defense partnership. This isn’t a move that obviously displaces anyone.
£25 million isn’t an outrageous fee, but it’s a lot
Everton has definitely paid a bit of an English premium here. Abroad, Real Sociedad signed Diego Llorente for €6 million, Villarreal paid €14 million for Rúben Semedo, and AC Milan picked up Mateo Musacchio for just €18 million. The players who have joined the Premier League for a little closer to Keane’s price — Victor Lindelöf to Manchester United for £32 million, Antonio Rüdiger to Chelsea for a rumored £29 million — have international and Champions League experience.
Players with Keane’s resume only cost £25 million if they’re coming from English clubs.
If your team still needs a central defender, don’t panic
It looks like the market is drying up fast, but there are a lot of solid, mid-level central defenders out there. Keane is a good one, but it’s not like Everton got him for exceptional value. Premier League clubs regularly find cheap hidden gems at the center back position, and your favorite team can too.
See More:
