Transfer Rumors: Everton keen to add out-of-contract defender | OneFootball

Everton have their eye on left back Nuno Tavares, currently on loan at Lazio from Arsenal, to bolster their back line.

The rumor comes via Gianluca Di Marzio, a transfer expert for Sky Sports who covers international football. Other clubs, like Fulham and Juventus, are also listed among the possible suitors for the player's signature.

Tavares, who just turned 25 in January, will be out of contract after his return to Arsenal after the season is over, so it will be down to his preferences in terms of playing time and the situation that best fits his needs.

The Portugal international may not fill an obvious need for Everton, who already have Vitalii Mykolenko manning the left fullback position, although Tavares is more of an attacking threat from the slot than the Ukrainian, having notched nine assists in both Serie A and the Europa League in 27 matches played.

This season has been a major outlier in that category, however, and his 4.4 xAG suggests some good fortune as to where his crosses have ended up. Still, his progressive pass numbers (115) give a good indication of the type of player he is and compare quite favorably to Mykolenko's (102 in 31 matches) over a smaller sample.

He's also a much more willing dribbler, having amassed 104 progressive carries as opposed to Mykolenko's 31, while progressive passes received (87 for Mykolenko vs 83 for Tavares in fewer matches) show a much more offensive-minded fullback.

Would Tavares mean that Mykolenko is out the door? Not necessarily, since their different styles of play could work against opponents who might call for a more defensively stout left back, while others scream for a more attack-based approach.

And the Ukrainian has been Everton's only true left back for years now, so adding depth would be crucial to building up the squad.

Whether that would be enough to attract Tavares remains to be seen, especially with Fulham potentially losing Antonee Robinson this summer to a certain other Merseyside club.

But if nothing else the rumored interest in the Portuguese is good in that it indicates awareness on the part of David Moyes and the recruitment staff of where they need to improve, even in a summer that should prove to be a very busy one for Everton.