Pundit Noel Whelan has backed Nuno Espirito Santo to sign Conor Coady for Everton, should he land the Toffees job.
The Lowdown: Coady link emerges
Everton move into the new season looking to improve on their 10th placed finish in 2020/21 [BBC].
Of course, things will be different on a recruitment and managerial front, following the surprise departure of manager Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid earlier this month [Guardian], leaving Marcel Brands with plenty of work to do this summer.
Brands and co are now in advanced talks with former Wolves manager Nuno [90MIN], and news has since emerged of a swoop for Coady, with a Goodison source claiming this week both he and Pedro Netro could follow the boss to Merseyside.
The Latest: Whelan backs Everton to sign ‘Nuno’s Rodriguez’
In an interview with Football Insider, Whelan stated:
“He [Coady] knows the league and the game here in England.
“That’s worth a lot more than a very good international foreign player coming in. You have to know the Premier League.
“It’s so different to playing abroad, it’s more dynamic, quicker, aggressive. That’s probably what’s been missing at Everton.
“Every manager at every club brings in their own players. Carlo Ancelotti did it with Allan and James Rodriguez. Coady can be Nuno’s Rodriguez.”
The Verdict: Marcel Brands should listen
New environments for a player or head coach can be daunting at first, so acquiring some familiar faces may help to breed the culture of trust and a collective understanding of Nuno’s tactics within a dressing room.
Coady would certainly provide reliability and leadership to the Merseyside outfit. In 2020/21, he was ever-present for the Wanderers, making 40 appearances across the season [Transfermarkt].
Across that time frame, the Liverpool-born defender made an average of 3.5 clearances per match, illustrating his dominant presence within the backline [WhoScored]. For context, only Yerry Mina and Michael Keane [WhoScored] could better this from the Everton squad, so perhaps he could form a part of Nuno’s patented back three alongside that duo.
Looking towards 2021/22, Brands could do a lot worse than pursue Coady’s services as he would be a solid addition who has proven he can excel under Nuno.
In other news, Everton are interested in a Turkey international defender.