Everton eye move for Mallorca midfielder Iddrisu Baba | OneFootball

Everton could finally replace Idrissa Gana Gueye after being linked with a move for RCD Mallorca midfielder Iddrisu Baba.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the 25-year-old’s early-season form has caught the eye of Toffees manager Rafa Benitez, and the Premier League outfit are now weighing up an offer ahead of the January transfer window.

The report states that: “After his great start to the season, Iddrisu Baba is rewarded with the interest of Everton FC. Rafa Benítez wants the Ghanaian at Goodison Park.”

It’s believed that Baba has a €45m (£38.2m) release clause inserted in his Mallorca contract, a fee that Everton are apparently ready to meet in order to secure his services.

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Rafa Benitez needs him

Baba has been one of the revelations of the season in Spanish football during the opening weeks of the current campaign, featuring 11 times as Luis Garcia’s charges have climbed to 12th in the La Liga table.

The Ghana international has been appreciated from within his club for a number of years, though, with his former boss lauding his tenacity in the centre of the park last term.

“Baba is an important player for us, a hard-worker in as a midfielder who is reliable and able to provide defensive skills,” said ex-Mallorca manager Vicente Moreno back in 2020. “He has grown strongly as a player, and I hope he can help us achieve our goal for the season.”

With Everton currently struggling to cope without the injured Abdoulaye Doucoure, it seems as though Benitez is searching for extra options to bolster his engine room over the winter window.

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And in Baba, the Spanish tactician could finally secure the Merseyside outfit’s long-term successor to Gueye, who departed for Paris Saint-Germain back in July 2019.

As per fbref.com, the Mallorca ace has won 3.04 tackles per 90 throughout 2020/21, made 1.57 interceptions and completed 6.76 successful pressures. Whereas Gueye has put up figures of 2.41, 2.07 and 5.86, respectively.

It’s clear the defensive-minded pair are similar in their output, and the qualities that both men bring to the team are what’s desperately missing from Everton’s play at this moment in time.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin was brought to Goodison Park following Gueye’s exit two years ago, but horrendous luck with injuries have prevented him from playing anywhere near his full potential during his time on English shores.