Marcel Brands could end Everton’s torrid record in the January transfer window by signing Felipe Caicedo after SS Lazio agreed to sell the former Carlo Ancelotti target this winter.
What’s the word?
According to Cittaceleste, Lazio President Claudio Lotito has assured Caicedo that he can leave the Stadio Olimpico in the upcoming transfer market, so long as his Serie A outfit receive offers worth €5million (£4.5m) for the Ecuadorian centre-forward.
Caicedo is adamant that he will leave the mid-table Italian top-flight side this winter, having failed to secure a move away in the summer after reaching an agreement with Al-Gharafa, who refused to match Lazio’s €6m (£5.4m) asking price at the time.
The striker did not take well to his route away from Rome being blocked, feeling that Lazio did not keep to their word after receiving guarantees that he could leave, but he reluctantly accepted the situation and got his head down to support head coach Simone Inzaghi.
Ye,t Caicedo only remains half happy as Inzaghi continues to favour Ciro Immobile, even when the striker excels, leaving the 32-year-old to start just two Serie A matches and one Champions League Group Stage fixture, while earning the remainder of his 394 minutes of game time through eight cameo displays, despite netting four goals.
Caicedo’s situation could be of interest to Everton heading into the January market, having been linked with the 68-cap forward earlier this year. The Toffees ultimately opted against signing a centre-forward, but are again thought to be interested in a deal for Arkadiusz Milik to bolster Ancelotti’s attacking arsenal.
End Everton’s torrid winter record
Everton putting plans in place to bring Caicedo to Goodison Park this winter could see their Director of Football Brands continue his trend of looking to end the Blues’ torrid winter record.
The Merseyside outfit have struggled to sign quality options in the January window in recent years, with the Toffees welcoming the likes of Oumar Niasse, Shani Tarashaj, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ademola Lookman, Cenk Tosun, Theo Walcott, Eliaquim Mangala and Jarrad Branthwaite to the club.
Niasse departed at the end of his £55,000-per-week contract this summer having started just 12 Premier League fixtures for Everton, while Tarashaj saw his contract terminated in October having never played a first-team game in royal blue.
Mangala barely fared any better than Tarashaj during his time on loan, either, with a knee injury restricting the defender to make only two Premier League appearances. Tosun, meanwhile, has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park since January 2019 – just a year on from being signed for £27m.
Brands finally seemed to have turned Everton’s fortunes around last winter with the arrival of Branthwaite, who Ancelotti lauded as a “fantastic” prospect after the teenager’s first-team breakthrough.
Everton’s transfer chief can continue that trend by signing Caicedo in January, as the experienced centre-forward would offer Ancelotti the depth in-behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin that he appears to crave at a supreme level.
Italian icon Christian Vieri is an adamant believer in what Caicedo can offer, even just from the bench, having touted the Lazio star as an ideal back-up option for Inter Milan last month.
“If I were an Inter director, I would immediately go and talk to Caicedo, as he’s perfect for the role of 12th man,” Vieri said, via quotes by Football Italia. “I’d tell him, you are the understudy to Romelu Lukaku, come and join us. He might not accept, but at least try, otherwise what on earth do those directors do all day?!”
AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti must get ruthless and end a dud’s 14-year Everton association.