Everton Monitor This €25M Juventus Player: Will He Actually Solve Their Most Pressing Problem? | OneFootball

David Moyes has overseen a dramatic turnaround at Everton this season, steering the club towards a genuine European push in their debut campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Everton have taken three wins from their last four league matches, including a 3-0 victory over Chelsea before the final international break.

This recent surge has sparked a credible late charge for continental football. Jordan Pickford has been central to that defensive solidity. The Everton goalkeeper is currently among the closest challengers to Arsenal‘s David Raya, sitting on 11 clean sheets. With Jarrad Branthwaite missing most of the season with a hamstring injury and James Tarkowski, now 33, entering a stage where his fitness and contract are managed year-to-year, Everton cannot afford to ignore the centre-back market this summer.

Five English clubs chase Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti

Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti is attracting serious interest from five Premier League clubs ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Calciomercato, as relayed via Sport Witness. The Italian outlet reports that Newcastle United, Leeds United, Everton, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham United are all tracking the 27-year-old.

The Turin side will likely let him leave at the end of the season to secure a capital gain on their original investment. Sport Witness previously covered a three-way battle for the defender involving Nottingham Forest, West Ham, and Lyon two months ago, but the race has clearly grown since then.

Juventus signed Gatti from Frosinone for €9 million in January 2022 and loaned him back for the rest of that season. Since then, he has made 132 appearances for the club. In 16 Serie A appearances this campaign, Gatti has conceded 10 goals and kept seven clean sheets. This means his team concede roughly every 96 minutes when he is on the pitch.

He also averages 0.85 tackles, 1.03 interceptions, and 4.61 clearances per 90 minutes. These are stats that highlight an active, physically combative defender. (Stats via Footy Stats). Transfermarkt values him at €16 million, though Juventus are reportedly holding out for around €25 million, which matches his peak valuation from October 2024. His contract, signed last July, runs until 2030, and he is represented by Agency One Players’ Agent. Calciomercato.it suggests a move to Nottingham Forest or West Ham would depend on whether those clubs stay in the Premier League.

Would Federico Gatti actually solve Everton’s most pressing problem?

TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 25: Federico Gatti of Juventus FC reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Juventus and Galatasaray A.S. at Juventus Stadium on February 25, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)

Probably not enough to justify making him a priority over other positions. Everton’s defensive situation is pressing, but Gatti has specific limitations that make him an odd fit for a side potentially playing in Europe next season. His numbers in Serie A this term are decent but not elite.

Clearing 4.61 balls and making just over one interception per 90 minutes suggests a defender who relies on reactive moves rather than proactive organisation. That works for a mid-table Juventus side in transition, but Moyes’ Everton side press higher and expects the defensive line to anticipate attacks more effectively.

Furthermore, the €25 million asking price is well above Gatti’s current €16 million Transfermarkt valuation. Everton’s transfer priorities this summer focus on the attack, with the club already offered Roma striker Artem Dovbyk and linked with PSV’s Ricardo Pepi. Spending heavily on a centre-back who represents a lateral move rather than a clear upgrade, especially with Branthwaite returning to fitness, would be a poor use of resources. Gatti might suit Leeds United or Newcastle United better, as they have less defensive depth. For Everton, the money is better spent elsewhere.