Guga Can Serve as Long-term Coleman Replacement at Everton [Opinion]

At 32 years old and with just under 350 Everton appearances to his name, few would doubt that club captain Seamus Coleman is anything other than a true stalwart and a loyal servant of the Toffees.

Having recently recovered from injury, Coleman has found his starting XI spot taken up by Mason Holgate who himself has typically functioned as a centre-back in his career.

Whether Coleman will regain his place in future fixtures, with the Toffees having claimed the maximum amount of points in their previous four games, is another matter entirely – though the need for a new right-back is clear.

At his age, Coleman is by no means finished – though he is the wrong side of thirty and may well have one eye on retirement and his post-playing career.

Equally, academy product Jonjoe Kenny appears to be out of favour with Holgate trusted out of position ahead of the young ex-Schalke loanee.

In the long run, this leaves Holgate as the only main choice in the role if Ancelotti continues to keep faith in him.

As a consequence, moving on Kenny and identifying a replacement for Coleman could be a two-pronged transfer opportunity to be explored by Everton.

Analysis by the Liverpool Echo has identified one hot prospect from Brazil that may well hold the attributes needed to fill the gap in depth for the Toffees at right-back.

22-year-old Atletico Mineiro defender Claudio Rodrigues Gomes has caught attention for his impressive individual attributes. He recorded a one-on-one duel success rate of nearly 63% and won two-thirds of aerial battles – despite being only 5ft9in.

With an imposing combative approach and a superb ability to read opposition build-ups, Gomes casts the mould of a promising defender that isn’t afraid to get stuck in.

Young, agile and physically-adept, Gomes (nicknamed ‘Guga’) should be a wildcard option to be scouted if Carlo Ancelotti are to hold down meaningful depth at right-back.