Everton have been handed a boost as defender Cuco Martina made his long-awaited return to first-team training ahead of their Merseyside derby with Liverpool.
Martina last made an appearance for the Toffees back in March 2018, in the 2-1 defeat away to Burnley, and it’s also been over two years since he was last in the matchday squad.
The right-back has, however, made a return to training ahead of the restart of the Premier League. Manager Carlo Ancelotti could look to Martina and include him in the matchday squad in two weeks.
Toffees could bring Martina into matchday squad
Djibril Sidibe has been Ancelotti’s first choice at right-back this season, but the Toffees have a decision to make over the right-back about whether they want to make his loan deal from AS Monaco permanent.
The option to buy Sidibe was part of the deal that brought him to Goodison Park on loan and the club are now weighing up the £12.7m price tag on the full-back. Martina’s situation is also uncertain, as it stands, with the defender being out of contract at the end of the season.
Following his release from Southampton, former manager Ronald Koeman signed Martina on a three-year deal with Everton. After making 21 appearances in his first season, the full-back has since had loan spells at Stoke City and Feyenoord.
Everton also have Jonjoe Kenny to consider going forward past this season too. The young right back has been on loan in the Bundesliga with Schalke this season and has impressed, making 27 appearances for the German side.
Ancelotti needs to decide whether Kenny will be the long-term plan for the Toffees or if the deal for Sidibe is worth the asking price in the current market.