Why Everton should certainly go all out to sign Wilmar Barrios

Everton kicked off their pre-season in stunning fashion as the Toffees thrashed Austrian outfit ATV Irdning 22-0, which saw four of their players score hat-tricks. Marco Silva has already stamped his mark on the team and he must take them to new heights next season.

After a summer spending spree by Ronald Koeman, Everton failed to produce any kind of threat or intensity which led to his departure and Sam Allardyce was immediately installed to salvage the situation.

Silva is not done yet with his business in the transfer market, with the Toffees being linked with Boca Juniors midfielder Wilmar Barrios. Everton are reportedly interested in snapping up the defensive powerhouse who has been attracting heavy interest from the club. Tottenham Hotspur are also reportedly interested in signing the defensive midfielder, but latest reports suggest that the Toffees are in pole position to land the Colombian.

Barrios is reportedly protected by a €18million release clause but if the Toffees accept to sign him now and get him in December, they could sign him for a lot lesser. The club are strong on their stance of not selling their prized asset, but if Everton are willing to ship out his release clause, then there’s not much Boca Juniors will be able to do about it. Everton must also offload some of their own stars like Mo Besic if they want to raise funds for the midfielder.

The Colombian has been impressive since moving to Argentina in 2016. He generally operates as a defensive midfielder. The 24-year-old made a total of 23 appearances in Primera Division last season, scoring 1 goal in that time. He also impressed for the Argentine national team during their World Cup run, making a total of 2 appearances.

He is a solid defensive midfielder and is known for his high work rate. He’s a pure runner on and off the ball, with his tackling abilities quite impressive. Last season, Wilmar recorded an average of 3 tackles per game and also boasted an average of 2.8 interceptions. The Colombian is also an accurate passer of the ball, averaging a pass success rate of 84.4% in the Argentine top-flight.

Everton already possess the likes of Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin in their ranks, but Wilmar Barrios will provide them with further depth in the squad. Marco Silva should certainly go for the player, who could provide them with the strength to turn their fortunes around next season.