Everton are interested in completing a transfer for Danish side FC Midtjylland midfielder Emiliano Martinez this summer and are believed to have been following the Uruguayan for several months.
Toffees boss Sean Dyche has started to assemble his team for the forthcoming season after a slow start to the transfer window, with the experienced Ashley Young arriving on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma signing on a one-year loan deal.
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The central midfield is as yet untouched, and the Mersey outfit – while offence may be the priority – will be eager to fortify the nucleus of the team.
Are Everton signing Emiliano Martinez?
That's according to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, who claim that Everton – alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United – are interested in a deal for the rising star, who has flourished in the Danish Superliga.
It's claimed that Midtjylland will demand roughly £9m for his sale to be granted, and with journalist Rodri Vazquez claiming two months ago that Everton have made a "firm" for the 23-year-old, it could be following up with talks to finalise a transfer.
Should Everton sign Emiliano Martinez?
The £6k-per-week Martinez – who is not to be muddled up with his namesake; the World Cup-winning shot-stopper playing for Aston Villa – who plied his trade in Uruguay and Brazil before going on his European adventure, and is already making waves big enough to attract the attention of Premier League outfits.
As per Sofascore, the defensive midfielder recorded an average rating of 6.87 in the league last term, impressing across his 25 appearances and impressing by completing 85% of his passes, making 2.5 tackles per game and succeeding in 70% of his attempted dribbles.
Having been handed two caps by his national side already, Martinez is clearly held in high regard and looks destined for a date with the highest level, and given that he ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and blocks per 90, as per FBref, could be the perfect, tenacious option to complete the Toffees' midfield.
According to one South American football expert, Martinez would be a "fantastic [Declan] Rice replacement for West Ham", with the esteemed midfield anchor completing a club-record £105m transfer to Arsenal this summer.
Rice was been hailed as "the best holding midfielder in the country" way back in 2020 by Hammers boss David Moyes, and was paramount to the east London club's ascent to European competition after forging 245 displays – West Ham will play continental football for the third successive term after winning the Conference League this year.
The 43-cap England international ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 20% for progressive passes, the top 15% of progressive carries, the top 17% for clearances and the top 5% for interceptions per 90.
Martinez, who has demonstrated his intensity and defensive application and composure through his tackling consistency and crisp passing, could be Dyche's very own Rice and could have a transformative effect on the Merseyside outfit with his deployment into the midfield.
Praised for a very "solid" build – by Juan Genova – that has allowed him to thrive through his brutish physicality, Everton must do all they can to secure Martinez's services this month ahead of a campaign that simply has to be a success, and for the paltry fee of just £9m, the importance of swift action is only intensified.