Everton didn’t sign him in the summer and now he’s the second best in Premier League
Everton have a worrying lack of depth in defence as one summer target makes the club regret their decision to end the pursuit.
The Toffees’ former chief Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider on 24 September that Sergio Reguilon is unlikely to join Everton in January.
David Moyes already has problems at the back with Everton reluctant to part with the injured Jarrad Branthwaite amid interest from Man United, sources told Football Insider.
Adam Aznou joined Everton from Bayern Munich in the summer but hasn’t featured at all yet as an ideal right-back option targeted by the club continues to flourish as the Toffees rue their mistake.
Kenny Tete among the Premier League’s elite as Everton struggle defensively
Back in June, Wyness tipped Fulham’s Kenny Tete as an excellent addition for Everton to bolster their injury-prone defence.
However, a move never materialised as the Dutchman signed a new deal that extended his contract until 2028 in a hammer blow for the Evertonians.
Moreover, the former Lyon man has impressed this season with Squawka (25 September) highlighting that only Virgil van Dijk has a higher duels won percentage than him after five matches.
The number two has won 36 out of his 48 defensive duels with a 75 per cent success rate, on par with Crystal Palace‘s Marc Guehi and two per cent less than Liverpool‘s captain.
The Toffees sit 14th for expected goals conceded with 7.11 after five Premier League games, showing their mistake in not signing the ex-Ajax defender who exudes defensive class.
Injury concerns in Everton’s defence make Tete’s brilliance a missed opportunity
When reflecting on the Toffees’ normally robust rearguard, cracks could be about to show with the club heavily relying on a small selection of available defenders.
It is concerning the lack of coverage in Moyes’ defence with James Tarkowski essentially carrying the backline to get results which is not sustainable.
Vitaliy Mykolenko continues to pick up niggling injuries whilst the ageing Seamus Coleman and underwhelming Nathan Patterson are one kick away from a spell on the sidelines.
| Everton defender | Position | Apps / Starts/ Total Games Played |
| Adam Aznou | Left-back | 0, 0, 7 |
| Vitaliy Mykolenko | Left-back | 4, 3, 7 |
| Jarrad Branthwaite | Centre-back | 0, 0, 7 |
| James Tarkowski | Centre-back | 7, 7, 7 |
| Michael Keane | Centre-back | 7, 7, 7 |
| Jake O’Brien | Centre-back/right-back | 7, 6, 6 |
| Seamus Coleman | Right-back | 3, 2, 7 |
| Nathan Patterson | Right-back | 0, 0, 7 |
For now, injuries can be avoided with Everton facing fewer fixtures following their elimination from the EFL Cup.
However, when the festive period kicks in, I worry for the Scottish manager’s defence which could fall apart if the integral Tarkowski picks up a freak injury from exhaustion.
Tete’s excellence is a slap in the face for the blue half of Merseyside who will be regretting their stuttering transfer business when they failed to sign him.