Everton’s long search for a right-back has taken them back where they started more than a year ago – Fulham’s Kenny Tete.
The are various media reports suggesting that Everton are close to agreeing a fee of £9m for the Dutchman, who was close to signing for the Toffees on a free transfer at the start of the 2025 window.
That deal was seemingly all agreed, but Tete changed his mind at the last minute and instead signed a new three-year deal with the Cottagers.
Everton have not come close to signing another
right-back since, with Jake O’Brien gamely filling in for another season, Nathan Patterson appearing sporadically and Seamus Coleman finally calling time on his Everton career in May.
Merlin Rohl has impressed in the position during the first three games of the season, but he is still a midfielder playing out of position.
The search has at times looked desperate, with Guela Doue supposedly the top target but deemed too expensive. Timothy Castagne, also of Fulham, Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz ,Aston Villa’s Matty Cash, Celtic’s Alistair Johnson and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – now of Aston Villa – have also all been mentioned.
But in keeping with a chaotic 48 hours that saw a shock Harrison Armstrong move to Nottingham Forest kiboshed thanks to fan pressure, Iliman Ndiaye reportedly edge closer to Tottenham and Richarlison head the other way, Tete is now the man (again).
The former Lyon and Ajax player was not in the Fulham squad for Sunday’s defeat at Sunderland, a sign that a move might be afoot. The west London club are in talks with Rayo Vallecano over a deal for Romanian full-back Andrei Rațiu, which has seemingly paved the way for Tete to head to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Chief executive Angus Kinnear, whose position is now under scrutiny after a chaotic few days, said in an interview earlier this month that a new right-back was a “top priority” and was “confident” one would be brought in before the deadline.
Sifting back through last summer’s targets for a player who has already turned the club down has left the fans feeling a little underwhelmed, but it is at least a specialist right-back who should improve the squad provided he stays fit.
But with 48 hours left of the window and Evertonians still getting their heads round what occurred over a frankly bonkers weekend, there will likely be plenty of twists and turns yet.
