According to reports in The Independent, Liverpool are lining up a summer swoop for Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski, but Everton should hijack any deal as he would be a better fit for them.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Independent says that Jurgen Klopp has made the centre-back position his priority when it comes to strengthening his squad this summer, and he believes that the 6ft 1in tall enforcer would fit what he is looking for at the back.
The Independent says that while the Merseyside outfit are keen on the 25-year-old, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he will be a regular starter for the Reds and would instead provide competition for the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip next term.
While he could come at a price considering he still has four years left to run on his contract at Turf Moor, Liverpool will know he is well within their budget when it comes to wages given as The Sun report he is currently on £40,000-a-week.
Meanwhile Everton, whose new director of football Marcel Brands can make himself an instant Toffees hero by completing a huge £70m deal, are in desperate need of strengthening their defensive options this summer with Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka now not good enough to be regular starters, and with the future of Ramiro Funes Mori surely in doubt.
How did Tarkowski do this season?
He was outstanding, and his form saw him pick up his first England call-up and cap back in March, prior to him helping Burnley to a seventh-place finish and Europa League football next term.
According to WhoScored.com, the 25-year-old showed his strength and power in the air by winning 147 of the 209 aerial duels he faced in 31 top flight appearances.
He also won 46 tackles, and made 59 blocks as well as an incredible 219 clearances for his team.
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Why would he be a better fit for Everton than Liverpool?
Firstly, Tarkowski would be more likely to start at Goodison Park than at Anfield, and he looks to be the kind of player that needs to be featuring on a regular basis in order to get into his rhythm and be at his best.
The 25-year-old also struggled to make a real impact on his Three Lions debut in March which perhaps showed that he isn’t ready for the pressure of the biggest stage just yet, and a chance to gro with Everton could be exactly what he and the Merseyside outfit need as the two parties look to make gradual progress together.