Everton interested in £23k-p/w defender who handled Grealish & Sterling 'brilliantly' - report

Everton are one of four clubs scrapping for the signature of Tottenham Hotspur’s Japhet Tanganga, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Goodison News).

The Toffees have already strengthened their defensive ranks this summer with the signing of James Tarkowski, but the Spurs gem’s versatility could still appeal to Frank Lampard. The 23-year-old is predominantly a centre-back too but has also played 19 games at right-back in his fledgling career.

In 2021/22, he was restricted to 19 appearances, suffering a season-ending knee injury in January. Up to that point, he had started 10 Premier League games and been left on the bench seven times.

The arrival of Clement Lenglet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a season-long loan from Barcelona may push the Spurs academy graduate further down the pecking order.

The report in Gazzetta dello Sport’s Sunday print edition (17 July, page three) stated that Tanganga could seek to leave Tottenham because he would like to be playing more football.

Everton are interested but face domestic competition from Brentford, while Serie A champions AC Milan and La Liga outfit Valencia are also keen on the 23-year-old.

Tanganga started against Manchester City, the eventual Premier League champions, on the first day of last season and helped his side to claim a 1-0 victory with a man-of-the-match display.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville felt that the youngster handled two ‘exceptional’ dribblers in Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish ‘brilliantly’ down City’s left-hand side, declaring it a ‘really special’ exhibition of the art of ‘one-on-one defending’.

There’s no shame in not necessarily being a first-choice option for a team as good as Tottenham, who will be playing Champions League football this