Everton Plotting Move For €12m Defender: Does He Fit The David Moyes Blueprint? | OneFootball

Everton and Crystal Palace are pushing harder to sign KRC Genk defender Zakaria El Ouahdi. Word out of Belgium suggests a deal could happen this month. Het Laatste Nieuws confirms that both Premier League clubs see the 24-year-old Moroccan international as a serious pick to boost their squads during the winter window.

Genk Star Zakaria El Ouahdi Emerges as Prime Target for Everton and Crystal Palace

This follows earlier news from Africa Foot. That report mentioned that Palace and the Toffees had already reached out about a potential transfer. The player seems to be waiting for concrete proposals from England. In the meantime, Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart are also keeping a close eye on him.

El Ouahdi has had a great run in the Jupiler Pro League lately. He has locked down a permanent spot in the starting eleven. So far this season, he has put up four goals and two assists in 20 games. Numbers like that have caught the eyes of scouts looking for modern, attacking full-backs.

Genk don’t want to lose a key player in the middle of the season at first. However, the Belgian club might say yes to a sale if the right money comes in. Journalist Sacha Tavolieri said earlier that Genk want between €10 million and €12 million. That price fits right into the budget for both English teams. So, rumours are flying that El Ouahdi is about to make a massive career move before the January deadline hits.

Analysis: Does El Ouahdi Fit the David Moyes Blueprint?

SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE – JULY 24: Zakaria el Ouahdi #11 of Team Morocco is challenged by Thiago Almada #10 of Team Argentina during the Men’s group B match between Argentina and Morocco during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on July 24, 2024 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

David Moyes might need fresh legs on the right side. Seamus Coleman has been a legend for the club for over 10 years, but nobody beats Father Time. Everton now need someone with the lungs to cover the whole wing and the skill to help out in attack.

Zakaria El Ouahdi looks like the right man for the job. His scoring record in Belgium shows he knows how to get into the box at the right time. Moyes usually likes his wide defenders to play with that kind of instinct.

The rumoured fee is a bit of a bargain for a player who hasn’t even hit his prime yet. Moyes usually sticks with disciplined defenders, but El Ouahdi brings an energy that could take some weight off Everton’s forwards. Moving from the Belgian league to the Premier League isn’t easy, especially with how physical the game is in England.

Still, El Ouahdi works incredibly hard, which suggests he could handle the jump. If Everton get him, they get a versatile player who can fill in at right-back or wing-back. Having that extra utility will give Moyes more ways to keep the club away from the bottom of the table.