Everton are interested in the services of Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai, as per reports.
Everton transfer news – What’s the latest on Attila Szalai?
According to the Turkish publication Star, the Toffees are among several ‘European giants’ that have taken notice of the Hungarian defender for his performances with the Istanbul club, as well as his national side this term.
The other teams reportedly circling the player include Anderlecht, Wolfsburg, Valencia, and Zenit St Petersburg.
The Yellow Canaries have set an asking price of €20m (£17m) for the 25-year-old colossus, which could represent something of a bargain in today’s transfer market.
With the decision not to keep Conor Coady at the club for another season and the departure of Yerry Mina, Sean Dyche could certainly use some defensive reinforcements.
Could Attila Szalai be Everton’s own Virgil Van Dijk?
Could Everton replicate their neighbours across Stanley Park with the signing of Szalai and get their own talismanic centre-half to build a winning team around?
Well, Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak certainly seems to think so, having dubbed him the “Hungarian Van Dijk” after a masterful international performance against England last summer.
The first thing instantly recognisable between the two players is their height – the Budapest-born titan is 6 foot 4, and Virgil Van Dijk is only just slightly taller at 6 foot 5.
However, the major difference in their physical attributes is their weight, as Liverpool’s Dutch destroyer comes in at a heavy 92kg, whereas Everton’s potential signing is just 82kg, as per Eurosport.
That’s not to say the difference couldn’t be cut down with the proper training and dietary programme, but it does mean that at this moment in time, the Dutchman is a more imposing figure for attackers to deal with, but that is also expected in the English top-flight.
One of his strengths, akin to the superstar he is compared to, is his work rate.
Petros Konnafis, the sporting director of his old side Apollon Limassol heaped praise on the player for his work ethic, saying:
“He’s a 100% professional. He is one of the most intensive and focused football players I have ever met in my life.
“Attila was always doing extra training, he was always trying to learn and trying to work on his body. He worked a lot, and he worked very hard, he’s not just a football player, he’s the full package.”
It was another good season for the Hungarian last year, as he was heavily involved yet again, playing for his club side 52 times, scoring three goals and creating three assists along the way.
According to WhoScored, he averaged a respectable rating of 6.75 across his 32 league games, whereas the Breda-born colossus just edged him out on 6.97.
Interestingly he averaged 1.1 tackles per game to the Dutchman’s 0.8 and 1.1 interceptions to one, per WhoScored, granted in an easier league, but that suggests he has a strong foundation to build upon.
Whether he can quite be the next Van Dijk for Dyche or not, he would certainly be a great addition to the Toffees’ back line next season, given the evidence and clamour above, and for £17m, it’s undoubtedly worth the risk.
