According to reliable insider The Bobble, Everton is in advanced talks to sign English midfielder Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa.
Everton Looking To Sign Promising Aston Villa Midfielder
Everton are advancing in talks with Aston Villa to sign midfielder Tim Iroegbunam 🔵 pic.twitter.com/ML5xtvgpyG
— The Bobble (@ElBobble) June 18, 2024
Who is Tim Iroegbunam
The right-footed centre midfielder made his way through the West Bromwich Albion academy before a move to Villa. The majority of his first team experience was in the championship while on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the 2022/23 season where he made 32 appearances, finding the back of the net twice.
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Iroegbunam has excelled at the U19 and U20 levels for England. He is also eligible for the Nigerian national team. The 20-year-old has yet to make a senior appearance at the international level.
What Does Iroegbunam Bring To Everton
A box-to-box midfielder who is seeking more game time at the Premier League level. During his championship season, he ranked in the top 25% amongst midfielders in the competition for both take-ons and progressive. He also has an eye for a long ball, completing 67.1% of his attempts for QPR.
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This is lacking in the Toffee midfield, even more so if Amadou Onana was to depart. Iroegbunam brings a different skill set to Idrissa Gueye and James Garner, the two other central midfielders in the squad.
While he is likely a project player, he could see extended game time due to the Everton midfield currently being undermanned.
Can Everton Afford The Transfer
Everton are said to be in danger of another Premier League ‘Profit and Sustainability’ breach, with the deadline approaching on June 30. It is thought that the sale of one or both Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite would resolve that issue.
According to David Ornstein, Everton have rejected a £35 million offer from Manchester United for Branthwaite . Ornstein further commented that “Everton are among those with financial issues, although word from Goodison Park suggests their PSR hole is relatively small.”
So a transfer that is on the cheaper end compared to those in world football for a player with a bright future makes sense for a club that is under the financial burden that the Toffees find themselves in.