Everton and Brighton are competing to sign Union Saint-Gilloise centre-back Massiré Sylla, according to Sport Witness, which cites Africa Foot. Both Premier League clubs have already made enquiries for the 21-year-old Senegalese, who also attracted earlier interest from AC Milan and recently signed a new contract at Union running until 2031.
Sylla joined from Norwegian side Lyn in January and has since become a regular starter in Belgium. He has played 1,626 minutes across 18 appearances this season, and his market value has jumped to €5m, a little over £4m.
Advertisement
At 6ft 5in and right-footed, Sylla wins headers, times his jumps well and threatens at set pieces. He steps out aggressively to win duels, reads danger well enough to intercept, and organises the players around him, with a passing range that includes long diagonals and the occasional line-breaking ball.
The weaknesses are just as clear. His tackling can be mistimed, which lets quicker forwards slip past when he commits. He looks loose when a high ball arrives under pressure, and can lose his balance after contact. The Premier League will punish those habits far more often than Belgium does.
That profile suits Everton‘s situation. David Moyes has built a sixth-placed start of 16 points from 10 games on a defence that kept five clean sheets in its first seven league matches, yet James Tarkowski turns 34 next week, Michael Keane is 33, and Jarrad Branthwaite’s hamstring problems keep disrupting his availability.
Both clubs are also chasing Atlético Mineiro’s Vitão, an 18-year-old Brazilian centre-back who stands 6ft 4in and won the 2025 CONMEBOL Under-17 Championship. He has only recently broken into Atlético’s senior side.
Advertisement
Should Everton make Sylla their priority centre-back target?
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY – OCTOBER 22: Massire Sylla of Union Saint-Gilloise looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD3 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC at Merkur Spiel-Arena on October 22, 2026 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)
Yes, and they should sign him as a first-team player, not a project. Tarkowski and Keane have both extended their contracts, but neither is getting quicker, and Branthwaite’s record makes him impossible to rely on. Sylla offers Moyes height at set pieces and a front-foot defender. His rash tackling would need coaching out of him, because Premier League wingers exploit a defender who lunges.
Advertisement
Vitão is the less sensible chase. An 18-year-old with so little senior experience cannot cover for injuries this season, and Everton shouldn’t tie up a squad place on a player who needs two years. At a little over £4m, Sylla costs little enough that Everton can afford to be wrong, and that low risk should settle the argument.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
