Everton Still Need a New Starting Centre-Back

Everton may need to plan beyond Tarkowski and Keane, even with their recent contributions. The case here is for a younger starting centre-back, with three names put forward as potential fits.

Some may disagree with this and I can understand why in a lot of ways. I think it is important that Everton sign a centre-back in the summer, and particularly to replace Tarks as an out and out starter.

Our recent signings have been a decent age profile to bring the age of the squad down, but we have two centre-backs that are 33 years old. I understand longevity of players has gone up, but Tarks, nor Keane, will get any better for us.

Where the current centre-backs are at

Branthwaite is by far and away the best defender at the club. O’Brien has done very well when he has played in the middle, to be fair to him. Keane has indisputably had his best season for us in almost a decade of football.

Tarks himself has been a brilliant buy for this football club, there is no disputing that, no matter how you slice it. He arrived on a free, his fitness record is and always has been phenomenal, and he has been the right man for the job in the situation that we have found ourselves in, in recent years.

I do think though that this season, his performances have taken a dip.

The worry: positioning and repeat patterns

Everyone knows what his strengths are as a defender: he is all-action, blocks, interceptions and full-blooded sliding tackles. I do think though that as a result of those strengths, some of his other attributes can be ignored.

His positioning can be criminal. The Chris Wood goal a couple of seasons ago springs to mind, his and Keane’s tendency to mirror one another and ball watch out attackers out wide, continually running all the way onto Pickford’s toes, not once scanning to see where the danger is around them, and cue the simple cut-back into our net.

I am not saying he is not good enough to start for us anymore by any means, but he isn’t getting any younger. If we want to improve and go up a level I think he should become a starter and bench player.

Three centre-back options that fit the brief

Strahinja Pavlovic. AC Milan. 24 year old Serbian international who broke through for Partizan at 17. Monaco took a punt on him but barely played him, instead loaning him out to Brugge and Basel. He then signed for RB Salzburg and had 2 solid seasons with them before AC Milan signed him last season. He is a starting centre-back for Milan, currently 2nd in…