Everton Eye £16m Injury-Prone Serie A Right-Back: What Should The Toffees Realistically Do? | OneFootball

Emil Holm joined Juventus on loan from Bologna in January, with the Italian giants inserting a permanent option into the deal as João Mário moved the other way to the Rossoblu. According to Italian daily Il Resto del Carlino, as reported by Sport Witness, the loan has been a disappointment. Holm made just seven appearances at Juventus, mostly from the substitutes’ bench, and the club have no plans to activate their purchase option.

Everton remain interested in Holm, along with Brighton, Brentford and Sunderland, all of whom have been tracking the 26-year-old Swede ahead of the summer window. Bologna, meanwhile, are open to selling and are hoping that Holm’s call-up to Sweden’s World Cup squad will drive up his asking price before serious negotiations begin.

Why Everton’s right-back problem makes this relevant?

Everton have struggled to establish a genuine, recognised right-back for much of the 2025/26 campaign, with Jake O’Brien filling the role despite being a centre-back by trade, and Nathan Patterson continuing to battle fitness issues since joining from Rangers in 2022. Moyes suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Sunderland recently, with O’Brien’s frailties at right-back exposed once again. The position is clearly a priority.

Juventus’s option to buy Holm was set at €15 million, potentially rising to €18 million under performance-related clauses, a significant outlay for a player who has picked up five muscle injuries in a single season.

What should Everton realistically do here?

CREMONA, ITALY – APRIL 05: Joao Mario of Bologna celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Giovanni Zini on April 05, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

Everton need a right-back; that much is not in dispute. Lutsharel Geertruida and Óscar Mingueza of Celta Vigo are both on Moyes’ radar, and either would represent a far safer investment. Holm’s attacking qualities are genuine. He bombs forward well and carries a threat in the final third, but five muscle injuries in one campaign are not a minor concern for a league that demands the highest physical output of any division in Europe.

Moyes is expected to remain in charge at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton targeting European qualification in 2026/27 and planning a busy summer window accordingly. Spending around £14–16 million on a chronically injury-prone player would be a gamble that would not be okay for a club trying to build steadily and sustainably. Holm at a lower-pressure Sunderland or Brighton makes far more sense. For Everton, the smarter route is a fitter, more reliable profile who can commit to 30-plus games a season from the off.