Everton have reportedly made an approach to try and sign England defender Conor Coady from Wolves in the ongoing transfer window.
According to 90 Min, Everton have submitted an enquiry for Wolves and England centre-back, Conor Coady, as Frank Lampard looks to reinforce his backline this summer.
Coady has been with Wolves since 2015, having joined from Huddersfield Town. The 29-year-old has been critical to the Midlands’ club establishing themselves in the Premier League. Captain of the team, the centre-back has featured 317 times for Wolves to date, and has even chipped in with seven goals and assists apiece.
Coady has also broken into the England national team in recent years and has collected ten caps for the Three Lions. The 29-year-old was part of a Wolves defence that let in only 43 goals last season – a tally better than that of Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham United. And Everton manager Frank Lampard wants the ex-Liverpool ace at Goodison Park this season.
Everton were all over the place defensively last season, shipping as many as 66 goals, with only four other teams letting in more goals than them. Hence, Lampard is intent on strengthening his backline and has already taken a step in that direction with the addition of James Tarkowski, who arrived on a free transfer after his contract at Burnley expired.
However, the Everton boss is keen on adding another proven centre-half to his ranks, given Michael Keane’s inconsistencies and Yerry Mina’s poor fitness records. Coady, to that end, has emerged as Lampard’s preferred candidate, considering the leadership and the defensive nous that the 29-year-old has displayed throughout his time at the Molineux.
Everton have now made their first approach to assess the possibility of signing Coady before the current transfer window closes. Wolves are reportedly keen on keeping hold of their club captain but will not stand in the way of an exit if he expresses his desire to leave.
Coady is believed to be open to a potential move to Everton despite his past association with cross-town rivals Liverpool. With two years left on his contract, though, Wolves could demand a significant fee for his services. Whether the Toffees can pull off the deal will be interesting to see as Lampard looks to build a team capable of breaking into the top ten after a dismal season last time out.