Betting update: Everton installed as favourites to sign £20m-rated PL centre-back
By Alex Stevens
Everton have been installed as the bookmakers’ favourites to sign Burnley centre-back Michael Keane in the January transfer window.
Bookies Sky Bet have placed odds of 6/1 on Ronald Koeman landing the Manchester United academy product next month.
Everton are ahead of a number of other Premier League clubs in the betting, with big guns Chelsea priced at 8/1, Liverpool at 10/1 and Manchester United at 10/1.
Keane’s stock has risen considerably since the start of the season, having twice been called up to England squads by Gareth Southgate and reportedly caught the eye of a string of Premier League outfits.
The Sun reported that Leicester will make a £20million bid for him in the January window.
Everton have suffered defensive problems this season despite signing Ashley Williams from Swansea in a £10million deal in the summer window.
They were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea last month and conceded three goals at home to Watford in their 3-2 defeat last Saturday.
Keane started his career at United but has risen to the threshold of international football at Burnley, who he joined from Old Trafford initially on a half-season loan before completing a permanent transfer in January 2015.
In other Everton transfer news, Tony Cascarino has urged Koeman to consider a much improved Premier League striker as a replacement for Romelu Lukaku.