Everton are increasing their interest in Manchester City’s Rico Lewis as they search for a new right-back, according to sources at TEAMtalk. The Toffees have identified strengthening the right-back position as a key priority during the current transfer window, and Lewis has emerged as a concrete option alongside several other targets including Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Strasbourg’s Guela Doue, and Tottenham’s Djed Spence.
City are reportedly willing to consider offers for the 21-year-old, with Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Fulham also expressing interest. Manager David Moyes is understood to be a particular admirer of Lewis, valuing his versatility as he can feature at right-back, defensive midfielder, and left-back – all positions Everton are looking to reinforce.
Lewis has been a part of Manchester City’s academy setup and has demonstrated his capabilities in several positions, earning appearances for England at the Under-21 level. While Man City are not under pressure to sell, with Lewis’s contract running until 2030, they may be open to discussing a transfer for the right fee. A loan deal is considered less likely for Everton, as they are also pursuing a second loan move for Jack Grealish, a move complicated by Premier League rules limiting loans between the same clubs.
Everton’s pursuit of Lewis could address multiple needs within the squad. The departure of Seamus Coleman at the end of last season has left a void at right-back, and Lewis’s arrival could allow Jake O’Brien to move to his preferred centre-back position. Furthermore, Lewis could provide competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back and potentially fill the role vacated by Idrissa Gana Gueye in defensive midfield, though Everton are still considering offering the veteran a new contract. While a fee of around £30 million has been suggested, the final cost remains to be determined.
