Everton are reportedly planning to make a move to sign Royale Union Saint-Gilloise defender Ross Sykes, as per TEAMtalk.
The 26-year-old began his youth career at Burnley before joining Accrington Stanley. He made his first-team debut for the Owd Reds in 2016 and went on to make more than 100 appearances for the club.
The Englishman joined the Belgian Pro League side back in 2022 and has since won a league title and a domestic cup.
This season, he has been displaying eye-catching performances, scoring two goals and keeping 10 clean sheets in 24 appearances across all competitions. Moreover, Sykes has been helping his side mount a title charge, sitting at the top of the table with a four-point lead.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that Everton have expressed interest in signing Sykes after being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances, and have sent scouts to monitor him closely.
However, purchasing the defender won’t be straightforward for the Merseyside club, as Burnley, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, and Coventry City are also interested in him.
Sykes’ existing deal is set to expire at the end of next season, but USG have an option to extend his contract for one more year. So, they are in a strong position to demand a sizable amount of money if they are forced to cash-in on him in the summer.
Sykes to Everton
Sykes, standing at 6ft 5in tall, is a right-footed centre-back. He is quick, strong, excellent in the air, comfortable in playing out from the back, and efficient in defensive contributions.
Everton currently have James Tarkowski, Jake O’Brien, Michael Keane, and Jarrad Branthwaite as the centre-back options. However, Keane’s existing deal is set to expire at the end of this season, while Branthwaite has recently returned from a lengthy injury absence.
On the other hand, O’Brien has been playing in the right-back position. So, it appears David Moyes is looking for a new centre-back, and he likes to have dominant aerial options.
Sykes is a talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Everton should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Merseyside club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services.
