Everton are reportedly considering a summer move for Diogo Dalot, who is currently on loan at AC Milan from Manchester United.
According to a report by Liverpool Echo, Diogo Dalot has popped up on the radar of Everton over a move in the summer transfer window for a third successive year. The Toffees are also weighing up a move for Max Aarons and Tariq Lamptey apart from the Portuguese full-back, who is currently on loan at AC Milan from Manchester United.
Diogo Dalot arrived at Manchester United from FC Porto in the summer of 2018 amid a lot of hype around his talent, generated by then-manager Jose Mourinho. The young defender, though, barely featured for the Premier League heavyweights before Mourinho was shown the exit door by the Red Devils in December 2018.
Fitness issues continued plaguing the 22-year-old even after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was named as his compatriot’s successor by Manchester United. In addition, Solskjaer never really took a liking to Dalot, who played second-fiddle to Aaron Wan-Bissaka following his arrival from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2019.
Having been a bit-part player for Manchester United for a considerable period, it came as no surprise that Dalot was primed for a summer exit last year, with Everton making an attempt to land him on loan in 2019 and 2020. However, the Portuguese defender eventually ended up joining AC Milan on a season-long deal.
At San Siro, Dalot has been the second-choice right-back as well as deputy to primary left-back Theo Hernandez but has still managed to impress the Rossoneri’s decision-makers enough in his 25 appearances this season to prompt them to consider a permanent transfer this coming summer.
Indeed, there have been reports that AC Milan are plotting a €17 million bid to sign Dalot, although Manchester United’s stance on selling Dalot permanently is not known yet. And now, Milan face competition from Everton once again in the race to swoop the 22-year-old defender away from Manchester United.
The Toffees are in the market for a right-back due to the declining stature of Seamus Coleman, who has been hampered by a number of injuries in the last few seasons, as a result of which he has managed just 14 starts in all competitions this term. Even when available, Carlo Ancelotti has preferred Mason Holgate or Ben Godfrey to the Everton captain.
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To that end, Everton are scouring for a long-term successor for Coleman, whose arrival would allow Ancelotti to field a natural right-back, making Dalot a viable target. In addition to Dalot, Max Aarons, who has also been linked with Manchester United, and Tariq Lamptey are also on the radar of the Premier League outfit.
As far as the pursuit of Dalot is concerned, though, it remains to be seen if Manchester United are open to doing a deal with Everton for the youngster, having been reluctant to do so last summer so as to not strengthen a direct Premier League rival. An intriguing summer window beckons the Portuguese defender.
