Sky Sports reporter says Everton want to sign £5m defender who’s ‘very likely’ to leave

Everton will have plans to navigate this summer meticulously, but it will not be easy to keep on track.

After all, things for this club seldom go to plan, and especially in this current financial climate, Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell must expect the unexpected.

That being said, the latter has already warned Evertonians that this summer will see big names depart in order to balance the books and re-stabilise the Toffees.

Naturally, this sparked fear, but the fact that they are seemingly already making moves to securing incomings is a positive sign.

Everton already plotting first summer transfer

Taking to X, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg would be one of the first to detail an interesting update on Everton’s summer transfer plans.

Expected to have to operate shrewdly, replacing outgoing stars with lower-priced alternatives, it promises to be an exhausting upcoming few months for Thelwell.  However, he could do far worse than Yukinari Sugawara, who is the player reportedly on their list.

Having shone for AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, Plettenberg would write: ‘News Yukinari Sugawara | The 23 y/o right-back is one to watch in the next months as he could leave Alkmaar in summer!

‘Contract valid until 2025. Transfer in summer very likely. Price valuation: around €6m (£5m).

‘Many teams have inquired. Understand that he’s on the list of Everton, Brighton, Inter and Wolfsburg.

‘4 goals and 6 assists this Eredivisie season. Key player.’

Yukinari Sugawara could replace Seamus Coleman

Despite having been vocal about their efforts to convince Seamus Coleman to stay for one more year, it is widely expected that the 35-year-old will not re-sign to be the regular starter.

After all, this has been yet another campaign laden with injuries, thus making him a relatively regular fixture for the medical staff rather than the manager.

When he has featured, he has impressed, but this year has made it abundantly clear that he can no longer be trusted throughout a full Premier League campaign.

So, with Sugawara a viable option, this could represent a fine alternative and a long-term solution, given Dyche’s apparent lack of faith in Nathan Patterson.

The explosive full-back has thrived in the Eredivisie this season, with his 7.49 average rating indicative of this. He seems to boast that same attacking impetus which made Coleman so revered back in the day, and alongside his ten goal contributions he has managed to post 1.8 key passes and five ball recoveries per game too, via Sofascore.

Everton could do much worse than snagging this Japan international for a cut price, to potentially act as a successor to Coleman at last.