Everton Step Up Interest in Belgian midfielder Mandela Keita

Everton are stepping up their pursuit of Parma’s combative midfielder Mandela Keita, with Sky Sport Italia reporting that talks between the clubs are already at an advanced stage, as relayed by Sport Witness.

Why Everton Need Reinforcements

David Moyes watched his side flatter to deceive last season. A promising start, including a draw with champions Arsenal and a win over Manchester United, gave way to a wretched run of seven winless Premier League games that dragged Everton down to 13th. The bench simply lacked bite, and this summer’s rebuild is squarely aimed at fixing that.

Hackney Deal Paves the Way

With Hayden Hackney’s move from Middlesbrough nearing completion, Keita represents the next piece of Everton’s midfield puzzle, and the club’s business is far from finished.

The Numbers Behind the Belgian

Keita’s game is built on relentless ball-winning. He averaged 2.28 tackles, 1.32 interceptions, and won 62.3% of his duels—a 98th percentile return among Serie A midfielders. Yet he’s no mere destroyer: an 88% pass-completion rate, 29 successful dribbles, and a stunning 61.7% long-ball accuracy (95th percentile) reveal a midfielder equally comfortable dictating play.

What Happens Next?

At a reported £17m Transfermarkt valuation, Everton will hope to strike quickly. But Parma hold a strong hand—Keita’s contract runs until 2029, and Serie A clubs rarely let their prized assets go cheaply. Will the Toffees need to dig deeper, or is a bargain still on the table?