Everton will pursue 22-year-old Belgian defender Koni De Winter as a long-term replacement for Jarrad Branthwaite amid the Englishman’s links with Manchester United.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Koni De Winter is the subject of interest from Everton. The Toffees are scouring the market for a centre-back amid uncertainties surrounding Jarrad Branthwaite’s long-term future. So, the Genoa defender has emerged as a target, with the Serie A club demanding around €25 million to part ways with the Belgian defensive prospect.
Koni De Winter and his progress at Genoa
Koni De Winter has established himself as one of the most promising young defenders in Serie A since joining Genoa from Juventus. A native of Antwerpen, the highly-rated centre-back is a utility man who can also play as a right-back and a holding midfielder. He spent his formative years in Belgium, passing through the academies at Sparta Linkeroever and City Pirates Antwerp before graduating from the youth division at Juventus.
However, the 22-year-old could not establish a foothold in the first-team squad before Genoa completed an initial loan move in August 2023. De Winter sealed his permanent move to the Serie A club last summer, and he has come leaps and bounds throughout his stint with Il Grifone.
Meanwhile, the Belgian defensive prospect’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. Premier League outfits, in particular, are keen on signing De Winter, with Everton among the prospective suitors vying for his signature heading into the summer transfer window.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Everton’s interest in Koni De Winter is understandable. The Toffees are in a spot of bother over Jarrad Branthwaite’s long-term future. While the Merseyside outfit will look to keep the English international at the club beyond the summer transfer window, recent reports have claimed that Manchester United might resurrect the move to land him.
So, Everton should scour the market for a centre-back, with De Winter emerging as a viable target. The Genoa defender will not cost a bomb, with the Serie A club demanding around €25 million to part ways with him in the summer transfer window.
However, Everton will face stiff competition for De Winter’s signature, with Inter Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers vying for his signature. So, it will be interesting to see where the €25 million-rated defender lands if he leaves Genoa in the summer transfer window.
