Season › 2024-25 › News The Rumour Mill Replacing Coleman: Five potential options for Everton’s neglected right-back role Harry Diamond | 13/06/2025 18comments | Jump to last For over a decade Everton were in the fortunate position of having the right-back role undisputed. Seamus Coleman’s consistency meant few questions were ever asked but the Irishman’s advancing age and a struggling succession plan has turned right-back into a problem position. Jake O’Brien deputised admirably as an auxiliary option last season, with injuries having prevented Nathan Patterson from fulfilling his early promise to date. Right-back looks a position that will be targeted this summer and here are five options that could appeal. Five potential transfer options for Everton’s neglected right-back role Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) Kyle Walker-Peters will leave Southampton when his contract expires later this month. The defender is an intriguing free agent option for top-flight clubs, with a wealth of experience and versatility. Walker-Peters’ numbers for progressive carries and successful take-ons impressed last season, despite Southampton’s struggles, and he has performed with equal comfort on either flank. Given the lack of cover for Vitaliy Mykolenko on the other side and the extent of additions needed this summer, Walker-Peters would be a smart pick-up for the Blues. Djed Spence (Tottenham) Djed Spence has not had an easy time at Tottenham, but last season was a comeback for the 24-year-old. He looked certain to leave Spurs after a series of underwhelming loan spells but the club’s injury crisis handed him a chance in 2024/25. Spence made the most of that opportunity to impress under Ange Postecoglou, featuring in a variety of roles and adding attacking impetus. Such was his form, he was linked with a maiden England call-up ahead of March’s fixtures. Though he will hope to build on that foundation next season, the presence of Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie make automatic football difficult to secure. A suitable offer and the promise of regular football could be persuasive. Andrei Ratiu (Rayo Vallecano) Leading European clubs have cast an eye on Rayo Vallecano’s direction this season with Andrei Ratiu catching the eye. The Romanian road-runner flew forward at every opportunity, with only four players - among them Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior - completing more La Liga take-ons. Ratiu scored twice and provided three assists, though the 26-year-old did not neglect his defensive duties. In addition to that attacking output, he was in the top 10 La Liga players for dribblers tackled. A release clause of €25m (£21.2m) makes him attainable. Omar El Hilali (Espanyol) Staying in La Liga, Omar El Hilali offers a more jack-of-all-trades type defender. The Spanish-born Morocco youth international helped newly-promoted Espanyol secure their top-flight status for another season in 2024/25. El Hilali lacks the attacking threat of other options on this list but led La Liga for tackles won in 2024/25. At 21, and also capable of playing centre-back or left-back, a reported £12.5m release clause looks like real value for a player of rich potential. Across Europe’s top leagues, just two u-21 full-backs completed more through balls than El Hilali last season. Zakaria El Ouahdi - Genk Belgian football offers a wildcard selection in Genk defender Zakaria El Ouahdi. The 23-year-old moved to Genk in 2023, after being named in the Team of the Tournament as Morocco won the u-23 Africa Cup of Nations. Last summer, he won a bronze medal at the Olympic games in Paris before enjoying the best campaign of his club career. He scored six times in 37 appearances, highlighting his forward threat. His performances earned him a spot in the Belgian Pro League Team of the Season. Reader Comments (18) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Mike Price 1 Posted 13/06/2025 at 16:24:04 Don't be surprised if Kyle Walker pitches up. Surplus to requirements at Man City. Man Utd or Liverpool out of the question, but Everton keeps him in the area and close to his family. Robert Tressell 2 Posted 13/06/2025 at 16:42:48 Possible, Mike – although he's done pretty well in Milan with a group of English (ish) cast offs like Tomori, Musah and Loftus-Cheek. He might fancy hanging around for the food and the vibe. Ian Bennett 3 Posted 13/06/2025 at 16:55:13 The Italian press have claimed that 'failure has the face of [Kyle] Walker', providing a brutal assessment of the full-back's torrid time at AC Milan as uncertainty engulfs his career in Italy.I’d read in a couple of places it was going badly tbh. Steve Shave 4 Posted 13/06/2025 at 16:55:31 Come on, we all know it's going to be Coufal on a free! I seriously hope not…but I'd say it’s very likely. I like the sound of the Romanian lad here but don't know much about him. No more players from African countries though please, we are already going to lose Gana (if he signs) Iliman and Beto for the next African Cup. Ryan Holroyd 5 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:04:12 I’d be very surprised if Kyle Walker joined us seen as he's about 33 and on about £200k a week Ryan Holroyd 6 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:05:03 Beto won't be going because his country didn't qualify. Stu Darlington 7 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:15:03 We need a whole new right side for next season.Walker-Peters would be a good shout for me because of his versatility and is also out of contract, but we will probably face a lot of competition for his signature.I suspect Steve's right and we will end up with Coufal, because of the Moyes connection.Taking us to the next level eh? Kev Johnson 8 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:30:55 Agree with Steve @ 4... Coufal is the likeliest.Spoke with a West Ham fan this morning and he said Coufal was okay, good on the ball but not great going forward. Guess he'll do a job.On the other hand, he described another Hammer we've been linked with, Soucek, as "mustard"! Derek Knox 9 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:39:22 Walker-Peters is the only one who really makes sense, under 30, has Premier League experience, has versatility to play different positions. Don't know much about the others apart from Coufal. Like Steve @ 4 says, it will probably be him with his previous Moyes association. Martin Mason 10 Posted 13/06/2025 at 17:46:20 Kev @8, As in keen as or slimy yellow stuff? Sam Hoare 11 Posted 13/06/2025 at 18:37:14 I could see Coufal coming as a squad option but I dearly hope we might prioritise a proper starting right-back too. Though O'Brien did a very admirable job last season, it's not his natural position and it's been an area of weakness for us for several years now. A lot of decent young right-backs out there including the last two on the OP list. I like Givairo Read from Feyenoord but could see Moyes looking at Trai Hume at Sunderland. Jack Convery 12 Posted 13/06/2025 at 18:57:42 The current situation appears to be:Coleman, surely a squad right-back next season. Patterson, surely on his way.O'Brien, can play right-back if required.Dixon, probably going on loan,Garner, as O'Brien, though I'm not convinced.This means only Coleman and the raw Dixon are currently the only real right-backs we have as Patterson looks likely to be sold or loaned out. Therefore Coufal and Walker-Peters would be timely acquisitions and both on a free. We need 2 players for every position, getting Coufal and Walker-Peters will give us that, with Walker-Peters's ability to play left-back proficiently providing cover for left-back and competition for Mykolenko. Coleman will only play if there is a real injury crisis, or in the early rounds of the League Cup and FA Cup.If the club decide only Coufal is needed, then I would like a new centre-back who can also play left-back or vice versa. Al Hilali appears to fit that bill and at £12.5M would not break the bank. Robert Tressell 13 Posted 13/06/2025 at 18:58:04 It will be very straightforward to improve the right-back slot for next season — because, for at least 2 seasons, we have had the worst right-back in the entire Premier League. Atrocious Saints had two better right-backs than us last season in Walker-Peters and Sugawara.So Walker-Peters and Coufal would each be an instant (and low-cost) upgrade but still not especially good. If we got them in, I would hope it is as cover, not as the main new right-back.Of the five named, the two Moroccans must be interesting. Very good value and obvious talent. Ratiu seems likely to get a move to a Champions League club.In addition to those mentioned by Sam, others we keep getting linked with are: - Tchatchoua of Verona - Sanchez of Seville - Van Ewijk of CoventryIn an ideal world, it would be great to sign someone like: - Wesley of Flamengo - Tiago Santos of Lille - Sildillia of FreiburgThese three are probably a cut above, with Wesley looking a really good fit for a Moyes 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 formation. Andy Peers 14 Posted 13/06/2025 at 19:38:57 Walker-Peters is perfect and only on £20k per week — as opposed to Walker, who is on £175k per week.Peters is 28 and Walker is 33. Ryan Holroyd 15 Posted 13/06/2025 at 20:01:24 Walker-Peters will be on more than £20k,a week Mihir Ambardekar 16 Posted 13/06/2025 at 20:17:55 Walker-Peters has to be a no-brainer. He is good player and has versatility. He has good experience in the Premier League and his wages would suit us. We should be prioritizing this signing. After we sign him, we have adequate cover on the right. Focus should be more on strengthening the attacking positions of striker and right wing. Andy Peers 17 Posted 13/06/2025 at 20:25:52 Ryan, that is his current salary. Obviously, if there are other interested parties, then who offers the best salary is likely to prevail. Robert Tressell 18 Posted 13/06/2025 at 21:04:23 Mihir - Walker-Peters will have plenty of options. I think he’d be a good signing too but as a free agent he’ll have lots to choose from. I think RB is a position really worth investing in. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb