Everton Identify This Serie A Defender As Gabriel Magalhåes Alternative: Right Choice For The Toffees? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Corriere del Mezzogiorno claimed that Everton have identified Napoli defender Nikola Maksimovic as an alternative to LOSC Lille’s Gabriel Magalhåes this summer. It is believed that the Toffees are set to miss out on Gabriel and have turned their attention to Maksimovic, who is likely to part ways with the Naples club as he is currently in the final year of his contract at Stadio San Paolo (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).

Maksimovic’s Magnificent Season In Italian Football

The Serbian centre-back experienced a solid campaign at Naples as he put in a series of commanding displays at the centre of Gennaro Gattuso’s defence. He has got one goal and one assist to his name after making 28 appearances for the Italian outfit last season across all fronts.

Maksimovic has established himself as a regular feature in the Napoli starting XI by finding some consistency with his performances at the back. He averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per game in the Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. The Bajina Basta-born talent has completed 93.1% of his attempted passes in the Italian top-flight, which showcases just how accurate he can be when interchanging possession with his teammates from the back (stats via whoscored).

However, the 24-time Serbian international missed a few key matches for Napoli last season due to a muscle injury and later, a hamstring problem. To his credit, Maksimovic has managed to stay injury-free since the Serie A’s restart in June. Hence, it shouldn’t be a concern for Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti who could orchestrate a move to bring him to Goodison Park this summer.

What Does The Serbian International Offer On The Field?

Maksimovic has been a reliable defender at the centre of the Napoli defence over the past 12 months. He has got the strength to overpower the opposition inside his penalty area, which allows him to make some important clearances for his side. The Serbian centre-half can sense the danger quickly and excels at timing his tackles to perfection so that he can secure possession back from the opposition. The 28-year-old is also quite accurate when distributing the ball, but sometimes his lack of pace might get exposed when playing against a high calibre opposition.

Is Maksimovic The Right Choice For The Toffees?

Maksimovic has the power and determination to succeed at a club like Everton. He ticks all the right boxes in terms of what is required to keep the likes of Mason Holgate, Michael Keane and Yerry Mina on their toes in the race to secure a regular starting berth at Goodison Park in the coming seasons.

At 28, the Serbian is currently enjoying the prime years of his playing career, which makes him a decent choice for the Toffees to consider ahead of the new campaign. He will bolster Ancelotti’s squad depth significantly and could even end up helping the club challenge for a top-half finish in the Premier League standings next season.