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A perfect Jagielka replacement? – Everton should go all out to sign this fantastic 24-year-old in the summer

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Everton Opinion: Should the Toffees sign Karim Rekik?

Everton started the 2018/19 campaign well but have been all over the place of late under Marco Silva. The Toffees have endured a terrible run of form in 2019 and a top-eight finish will only be achievable if they go on a winning run from now on.

Silva was appointed as the Everton manager amidst a lot of fanfare but things have been pretty much the same as it was under his predecessor, Sam Allardyce.

The Portuguese tactician was backed with substantial funds last summer to bring stability to the squad but the Toffees have struggled to beat the division’s lower teams, meaning a vast improvement is required next season.

And for starters, Silva first needs to bring stability to his defence, which has been undependable and wobbly since the start of the season. The additions of Yerry Mina from Barcelona and Kurt Zouma on loan from Chelsea haven’t quite worked and with Phil Jagielka’s career coming to an end, the Merseysiders are in desperate need of a centre-back.

Hence, the Everton manager should make a move for Hertha Berlin defender Karim Rekik this summer as a potential replacement for Jagielka.

Despite an injury-hit season, Karim Rekik has managed to impress every time he’s come onto the pitch. Standing at 6ft 1in tall, the Dutchman is not the most towering of defenders but never shies away from going toe-to-toe with physically robust forwards and remains a major threat from set-pieces.

Cool and composed in possession, the 24-year-old doesn’t fluster while bringing the ball out from the back, keeps things simple and most importantly, he doesn’t make costly errors at the back.

Marco Silva

Rekik is a very good tackler and excels with his distribution. He may not be the quickest of defenders but makes up for it with his positional awareness and ability to deal with physically strong players.

Conclusion

Silva likes his defenders to be bold on the ball and launch attacks from the back. None of the current crop of Everton centre-backs are comfortable doing that.

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Given the player’s profile and style of play, the Toffees must swoop in for Rekik in the summer. The former Manchester City prospect is deemed as a player with huge potential and one who can be a long-term replacement for the ageing Jagielka.